Stay on Santa’s nice list by recycling responsibly this holiday season

SALT LAKE CITY – Christmas lights no longer working? Not sure if you can recycle tissue paper? Waste Management has all the answers for your post-holiday clean-up.

According to WM, Americans produce 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and Jan. 1 than the rest of the year. Holiday feasts, decorations, and gift-giving are likely to blame.

Because Americans don’t think about discarding seasonal rubbish all year, WM has provided a guide to ensure you recycle responsibly this holiday season.

WM holiday clean-up tips

• What can be recycled?: You can recycle clean cardboard, paper, metal food and beverage cans, and household plastics shaped like bottles, jugs, jars or tubs. Never bag up recyclables.
• What about holiday packaging?: It is okay to recycle cardboard boxes as long as you make sure to remove packaging inserts and flatten boxes. You can also recycle paper-based packing material, plain gift boxes, plain gift bags and greeting cards. You should reuse or throw away ribbons and bows, plastic bubble wrap and foam packaging peanuts. Any glitter or shiny paper can not be recycled.
• What about holiday decorations?: Most holiday decorations should be thrown away or donated. WM said this includes live or plastic Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands. Live holiday trees can often be recycled at a local drop-off location.
• What should I do with leftovers?: While food itself should never be recycled, it’s a good idea to recycle aluminum cans, metal food cans, metal cookie tins, plastic drinking bottles, plastic egg nog and apple cider jugs and clean pie tins. You should never recycle plastic bags, plastic wrap or dirty paper plates. Make sure to clean off all used plastics before recycling.