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The Kent County Department of Public Works in Grand Rapids, Michigan has published a holiday recycling guide to help reduce waste. The guide is especially important during the holidays, as Americans generate 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than any other time of year, according to Stanford University’s waste reduction program. The guide provides tips for disposing of common holiday items, such as suggesting that holiday string lights and certain types of packaging can be recycled at special drop-off locations, while gift wrap and bags can be reused due to their heavy inks and dyes.
Kent County Department of Public Works Releases Recycling Guide for Holiday Season
For this festive period, the Kent County Department of Public Works has unveiled its helpful recycling guide to help reduce waste. During holidays, we generate more waste and recycle less, with holiday items such as wreaths and gift bags requiring special disposal or not eligible for recycling.
Research from Stanford University’s waste reduction program indicates that waste production in the U.S. rises by 25% during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
Highlighting the importance of the recycling guide, Katelyn Kikstra, a waste reduction educator with the DPW, stated, “The DPW’s resources assist residents in keeping waste out of landfills to protect our land, air, and water. The 2023 Holiday Recycling Guide offers practical disposal methods for common holiday items to lessen waste.”
To access the recycling guide, visit this link and find the Holiday Recycling Guide on the right sidebar.
Items like glass bottles, food cartons, hard plastics, cardboard, metal cans, foil, and paper products continue to be suitable for curbside recycling bins. Ensure any food-related items are cleaned before recycling.
Special Disposal for Holiday Items
The 2023 Holiday Recycling Guide provides disposal guidelines for holiday items:
- Holiday décor like trees, wreaths, and garland can’t be recycled but can be reused, donated, or composted for live trees. Wrapping paper and gift bags are usually not recyclable due to heavy inks and glitters, but can be reused or recycled if made of plain kraft paper.
- Holiday string lights can be recycled through special collection drop-offs but should not be placed in curbside bins as they can tangle DPW’s equipment.
- Excessive packaging waste from online gift ordering can be recycled at special drop-off locations.
- Rechargeable and button batteries can be safely disposed of at a DPW SafeChem location, while alkaline batteries can be taped and placed in the trash.
- Used frying oil from holiday cooking can be brought to a DPW’s SafeChem location for conversion into biofuel, rather than being dumped down the drain or tossed in the trash.
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