Council offers recycling tips for a more sustainable Christmas

Redlands Coast residents are encouraged to add recycling to their Christmas lists this year.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said recycling was important all-year round but particularly during the festive season, when people tend to generate extra waste.

“Christmas is of course a special time of year when families and friends come together to celebrate, entertain and to exchange gifts,” she said.

“However it is also a time when people generate a lot of waste with packaging materials, wrapping paper and food scraps, so Council is reminding everyone to continue to recycle right and help to reduce the amount of waste which goes to landfill.

“About 16 per cent of what Council collects from kerbside general waste bins every week consists of items that could be recycled, and even small steps in every household can make a huge difference.”

Cr Williams said recycling could start before Christmas by looking for items which have less packaging, not using single-use wrapping for gifts, or making your own bonbons using cardboard rolls and paper and including consumable items instead of plastic toys.

“Once the gifts are unwrapped, make sure you collect the wrapping paper, cardboard and hard plastic and place them in the yellow recycling bin,” she said.

“Separate out any polystyrene and bubble wrap; and take polystyrene to the recycling and waste centre and bubble wrap to your local supermarket drop-off point, or pop either in your red-lid bin.

“Also ensure no batteries (particularly lithium type) are placed in any kerbside bin.

“The festive season may also be a good opportunity to consider starting a compost bin or worm farm for food scraps.

“It really is quite easy to decide whether to be on the naughty or nice list when it comes to managing waste and recycling, and it can become just another tradition each festive season.”

Tips for Christmas recycling:

If you’re running out of space in your recycling bin, upgrade to a 340L bin with no extra annual fee and a small $30 establishment fee, or order an extra bin Wrapping paper can go in the yellow recycling bin, or keep it and reuse next year or for craft activities Put Christmas cards in the recycling bin or cut up to make gift cards for next year Cardboard boxes and hard plastic packaging go in the recycling bin Cellophane and other soft plastics like bubble wrap cannot be recycled kerbside but can be dropped off at your local supermarket with your other soft plastics such as plastic bags Tinsel can be re-used but if it’s no longer usable, it belongs in the general waste kerbside bin Batteries – do not place in kerbside bins; visit com.au to find your nearest location for drop off Empty bottles and cans can go in the recycling bin, or take them to Containers for Change

Download the new Recycle Mate app (from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store) for a handy pocket guide on how to recycle right or visit Council’s online A-Z guide of waste and recycling