9 Recycling Tips for Arlington Residents to Remember This Holiday Season
By Office of Communication
Posted on December 14, 2016, December 14, 2016

This Holiday Season

'Tis the season to be jolly, and unfortunately, it's also a time to toss out a lot of trash. However, it's important to know that many of the items you throw out are recyclable.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, household trash increases by 25%.

Here are nine tips to remember from the City's Garbage & Recycling team when deciding what is recyclable and what is considered trash this holiday season.

Recycle or Trash?

  1. Wrapping paper is recyclable in curbside carts as long at all tape, ribbons and other decorations are removed. Flatten paper and place inside recycling cart. Please do not include foiled wrapping paper. Also, please do not put wrapping paper to be recycled in black trash bag because the sorting facility will think it is trash.
  2. Greeting cards and envelopes are recyclable in curbside recycling carts. Again, please do not include cards and envelopes that are foiled, play music or have any plastic, foil or glitter.
  3. Plain paper gift bags are recyclable in curbside recycling carts. Please do not include bags with wires, strings, plastic, foil or glitter.
  4. Tissue paper from gift bags cannot be recycled. Please place in trash.
  5. Cardboard boxes must fit inside recycling cart. Cardboard left outside the cart cannot be collected with the automated recycling collection vehicles. Boxes too large for recycling cart must be cut to smaller size and placed inside cart. If you have more than will fit, save for the following week, or flatten and drop off in recycling dumpster containers located at public libraries.
  6. Styrofoam packaging is not acceptable in curbside recycling carts. Please place securely inside regular trash bags.
  7. Christmas lights, extension cords, trees/wreaths and other decorations are not acceptable in curbside recycling carts. Please discard with regular trash.
  8. Live Christmas trees placed curbside will be collected with regular trash. If tree is taller than 5 feet, cut in half prior to placing curbside for collection. To recycle live Christmas tree, drop off at Calloway's Nursery on S. Cooper Street from December 26th through January 11th or at the public convenience center at the Arlington Landfill.
  9. Please no extension cords, tinsel or ornaments.
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