Recycle right this Christmas: What you can and can’t put in the recycling bin

Specialist metals & plastics supplier, metals4U, surveyed 2,000 UK adults on recycling and found that just over half (52%) say that recycling is very important to them, with more than a third (35%) saying local councils should be doing more1. 

Nearly one in five (18%) said their recycling bins weren’t collected enough, shedding light on some of the issues households may face this Christmas as wastage increases for the average family1. 

Local authorities often dictate what you can recycle at home, but as a rule of thumb; paper, cards and some metals such as aluminium and steel cans can all be recycled. Glass can be recycled in many locations, although some councils ask for it in separate bins, whilst others require it to be taken to bottle banks.

It’s important to check whether what you’re throwing away can actually be recycled. Below metals expert and Chief Executive at metals4U, Paul McFadyen advises on the items that you can generally recycle after Christmas:

Christmas dinner tin foil 

The tinfoil you use to roast your turkey, keep your potatoes warm and cover your leftovers is made from aluminium, a widely recyclable item, that many people usually throw in their general waste. With sustainability in mind, you can even wash your tinfoil with warm soapy water and use it again. 

Fairy lights

If you have any broken or unwanted fairy lights, then they should not go into your general waste. They usually contain aluminium metal wiring and should be taken to a recycling centre as they are classed as electrical equipment.

Cardboard boxes

Cardboard boxes, after you’ve removed the tape and anything else left in them, can be recycled.

Christmas trees

Real Christmas trees can be turned into wood chippings, with local councils usually advertising pick-up dates in early January. Check your council website to see if this is something they offer.

Wreaths

As long as they don’t have glitter or glue on them and aren’t plastic, Christmas wreaths can go into your garden waste bin after the festive period.

Plain wrapping paper

Glossy and plain wrapping paper can be recycled if it passes the scrunch test; the UK recycling program, Recycle Now, suggests that one way to check whether your wrapping paper can be recycled is by scrunching it up. If it stays scrunched up in a ball, then it’s generally good to recycle. If not, then it isn’t recyclable. Don’t forget to remove any sticky tape and none recyclable tags and bows first. 

Paul McFadyen, Managing Director at metals4U said, “Environmental conversations will continue to be a focus over the coming years, but during the festive period we should all play our part in reducing our carbon footprint, no matter how big or small, we can all contribute. 

“We hope our top tips will help people better understand what they can and can’t recycle this season and work together to make Christmas more sustainable with these small changes.”

What can’t I recycle?

These are the items you may need to dispose of after Christmas, but which cannot be recycled.

Metallic, foil, and heavily laminated wrapping paper

Christmas wrapping paper often cannot be recycled as it is often laminated with plastic, foil or other non-paper materials. It is also likely to have sticky tape on it, which is non-recyclable. In fact last year, Somerset Council banned wrapping paper in any household recycling bin as it is usually not recyclable and they could end up contaminating the rest of the recycling bin.

Glittery Christmas cards

Anything with glitter on it cannot be recycled and should go in the general waste bin. A lot of Christmas cards and tags will feature glitter, so it’s worth checking this to decipher which bin they should go in. Many supermarkets offer a free Christmas card recycling facility after the festive season, so it is worth keeping a look-out for facilities in your local area. 

Plastic packaging

A lot of plastic packaging, from both presents or food, is non-recyclable, so it’s worth checking the recycling symbols on the packaging before deciding which bin it should go in. Some plastic wrapping is recyclable with carrier bags in larger supermarkets, so read the packaging to see if you can help reduce waste by returning food packaging to your local store for recycling.

It’s also worth checking your local council website to see what they do and don’t recycle.

Tinsel and broken baubles

Both tinsel and broken baubles cannot be recycled and should be put in your general waste bin. 

Wherever you are in the country, your local authority will have recycling facilities near you. Major cities are usually also serviced by several facilities that you can visit. You can see the cities with the most recycling centres below. 

Top 10 cities by number of recycling centres2

City or Town	Number of recycling centres
London	27
Greater Manchester	20
Leeds	8
Bradford	8
Sheffield	5
Birmingham	5
Liverpool and Merseyside	5
Glasgow	4
Belfast	4
Edinburgh	3