It's Christmas and we have some 'tree-mendous' tips on how you can reduce and recycle your waste over the festive season:
- If you're heading out Christmas shopping, help to reduce plastic by taking along your own bags to carry your purchases.
- Choose quality over quantity when you're choosing gifts to give to others, to prevent future waste.
- If you're shopping online, don't forget to recycle any cardboard delivery boxes in your blue lid bin.
- Choose wrapping paper and greetings cards which aren't made from shiny foil or glitter, as they cannot be recycled.
- Deck your halls with boughs of holly. Natural decorations like ivy, mistletoe, and holly look festive, and can be composted as long as they're not covered excessively with glitter.
- Make space for new toys and gifts by donating pre-loved items to a local charity shop so they can be reused.
- Plan a shopping list for your Christmas food to reduce waste. On average, families waste £70 worth of food during the festive season.
- When shopping for fruit and vegetables, cut out the plastic bags and opt to pack them loose in your shopping.
- If you've got a real Christmas tree, check to see whether you can get it collected for the cost of a small donation to charity. You can get rid of your tree, support a local charity, and help the environment, as the tree will be turned into wood chips and used in local parks.
- If you have any extra waste or recycling over the festive period, you can always visit the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Haverton Hill. Book your appointment before you go and please make sure you take ID with you. The HWRC is open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day.
If you have an item and you're not sure if you can recycle it, remember to check the recycling directory. It's quick and easy to use - just click the letters at the top of the page and find your item by name or material.