GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Most recyclables from the area end up at the Kent County Recycling and Education Center.
The line at the center for free drop off, which is available to anyone from 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily, seemed to never slow down two days after Christmas.
The center is located at 977 Wealthy Street.
“We had some Christmas boxes, some cardboard,” mom and local second grade teacher Katie Marcano said.
Katie Marcano stopped by the center to get the stuff in the back seat of her car off her hands.
The stuff goes directly inside to the recycling center, where it's sorted.
“All the wrapping and the packaging that comes with those presents, all that has to be disposed of in some way,” Emma Dillman, Waste Reduction Educator for Kent County, said.
If you're like Katie Marcano, or the people in line at the recycling center, and find yourself with a lot of extra recycling on your hands, there's a few things you should know.
For starters, not all wrapping paper is able to be recycled.
“Wrapping paper, if it’s a natural type of wrapping paper, not a lot of ink, not a lot of glitter, that can be put in the recycling bin. Just the same way a paper bag would be,” Dillman said.
Any wrapping paper that has a waxy coating, or glitter, is a no, according to the folks with Kent County DPW.
“Glitter is not able to be recycled,” Dillman said.
Batteries and artificial trees are also a no. For the pile of empty boxes, however, good news.
“Things like cardboard boxes always can be recycled,” Dillman said.
For Katie, her daughter and her daughter's friend, it's all in the name of protecting the planet.
“You can see that big trash stuff. It’s in the ocean. And you can see it from the moon!” said Simone Knetsch, her daughter's friend.
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