As the last holidays of the year roll around, it’ll soon come time to open presents, make New Year’s resolutions, and inevitably end up with decorations and discarded toys in need of a new home. From live trees and string lights to wrapping paper and old toys, read on to learn about how you can tackle the post-holiday recycling dilemma.
Every year after Christmas, around 2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper end up in landfills in the United States. One wonderful solution to this problem is to opt for reusable gift bags or repurposed newspaper to wrap gifts, but if your gifts are already neatly tied with a bow in colorful giftwrap, you can still make your Christmas a little greener! Holiday wrapping paper is often coated in plastic, flocking or foil, and the mixed material makes it non-recyclable. If the wrapping paper is metallic, has glitter on it or has a texture to it, it belongs in the trash. However, plain wrapping paper, tissue paper, and paper bows can be recycled! Another way to test recyclability is to crush the paper into a ball. If it stays bunched up, it is likely recyclable.
Assorted wrapping paper rolls and a wrapped gift on a table
Once the holidays have passed and it’s time to take down your decorations, your live Christmas tree will become a disposal challenge of its own. However, this is one recycling dilemma that can be easily solved! Unflocked Christmas trees can be recycled once all decorations and lights are removed. If you prefer the convenience of curbside pickup, place the tree at the curb on your regular service day for collection by the yard trimmings truck. If you splurged on a tree over six feet tall, please cut it down to that length or less. Another option for unflocked trees is to bring them to the tree corral at The Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park, 6464 Creekside Forest Drive, available each year after Christmas. Keep an eye on the Township’s social media and website for the latest updates! These trees will be chipped and used for flooring underneath the Texas TreeVentures aerial obstacle course.
Live trees stacked on the ground in a corral
If your tree is covered in artificial snow, also known as flocking, it must be landfilled due to being covered in plastic fibers called cellulose. Go to wm.com or call WM at 800-800-5804 at least two business days before your regular service day to schedule bulk pickup of flocked or artificial trees. When next year comes around, consider white garlands and ornaments instead of flocking to green your holidays even further!
Once you take down your tree, you may be ready to part ways with some broken or tangled string lights. Lightbulbs of any kind cannot go in your curbside recycling cart, but they can be recycled at local facilities, such as the Montgomery County Precinct 3 Recycling Facility. Community members who do not live in Montgomery County can also take advantage of a mail-in program for string lights through Holiday LEDs. For more recycling options for every type of light you may be looking to retire after the holidays, visit our Recycle Right Collection Widget.
Boy wearing a Santa hat while he puts a teddy bear and gifts into a box for donation
As it’s out with the old and in with the new, pause before you throw old toys and gadgets away. First, ask yourself, “Can this be reused?” If the answer is yes, check out the donation suggestions on our Recycle Right Collection Widget for local options. If not, the widget provides alternative options for many items that are no longer in good condition. Curbside pickups from Simple Recycling or Green City Recycler can be arranged to offload unwanted toys, clothes, and other household items. If the item can’t be recycled or donated, our widget will give you nearby drop-off or curbside pickup options for landfill disposal.
This year, don’t let the piling up trash give you the holiday blues – use our tips to clear out the house swiftly and sustainably!
For more information, contact the Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.