A bin man has urged people to think twice about how they’re disposing of their Christmas wrapping paper – as they could acidentally be doing more harm than good
Chucking wrapping paper in the recycling bin this Christmas could land you on next year’s naughty list!
Whilst you might believe you’re helping the environment, you could actually be causing more damage than good. That’s because much of the festive packaging simply isn’t suitable for recycling. What’s more, mixing it with ordinary cardboard and paper can contaminate the whole batch. With this being said, a bin man has taken to TikTok to highlight this issue and offer guidance before the unwrapping frenzy begins.
Speaking on St Helens Borough Council’s TikTok account, refuse collector Danny explained: “Wait. Do you know what goes in what bin over the festive period? Wrapping paper, gift bags and Christmas cards CANNOT go in your green or blue recycling bags here in St Helens borough. Most contain foil, plastic, glitter and glue – so please pop them into your brown general waste bin!”.
Whilst this guidance applies to the St Helens area, numerous councils throughout the UK provide similar recommendations. Nevertheless, it’s advisable to verify which regulations apply in your particular locality.
Danny continued: “It’s the glitter and foil on them. If it’s just plain old brown paper then that’s fine. Each council is different though – it’s just how it works here in St Helens so best to check with your council.”
You can verify your local council’s regulations using the Recycle Now Checker, which provides a swift and straightforward method to determine if you’re breaching any guidelines.
Why is Christmas wrapping paper often unsuitable for recycling?
Gift wrap is often coated with plastic, glitter, metallic foil, or has a laminated finish. These materials are not compatible with standard paper recycling facilities.
Glitter and metallic finishes, made from plastics or metal, contaminate the recycling stream and can cause damage to recycling equipment.
Moreover, wrapping paper often comes adorned with tape, ribbons, or bows, which need to be removed prior to recycling. These items are not recyclable and can create issues during processing.
To determine if paper is recyclable, you might want to try the scrunch test. Simply scrunch the paper into a ball. If it remains scrunched, it’s likely recyclable. If it springs back or feels plasticky, it’s probably not.
This test is useful in identifying wrapping paper that’s too thin. If it doesn’t contain much paper fibre, it will likely be unsuitable for recycling.
Can you recycle Christmas gift bags and tags?
If they are made of plain paper (without glitter, foil, plastic coatings, or heavy embellishments), gift bags and tags can usually be recycled with your regular paper recycling.
If not, then you’ll probably want to keep them away from the recycling bin.
However, there are ways to repurpose these items to stop them from going into landfill sites. Many gift bags are sturdy and can be reused multiple times before recycling – so don’t chuck them out!
Meanwhile, you can stick a label over gift tags to re-use them if needed. It may be extra effort, but it should help to keep our planet safe for many Christmases to come.
