Christmas is a time of excess. More stuff equals more rubbish. But you can stop your bins from overflowing by following Recycle for Greater Manchester’s festive recycling tips.
Avoid wasting food
Christmas can lead to a lot of wasted food. From that extra loaf of bread you buy ‘just in case’ to the Brussels sprouts you bin year after year. To avoid this, remember to Buy, Keep, Eat, Repeat:
· Buy what you know you’ll eat by making a shopping list and sticking to it
· Keep food fresher for longer by storing it properly
· Eat your leftovers by making delicious new meals with them
· Put all food waste like vegetable peelings and turkey bones in your food caddy
Be battery aware
Batteries can cause fires when binned at home. Store dead batteries somewhere safe until you can take them to be recycled at supermarkets or the tip.
Look out for hidden batteries in items like phones, games consoles, and electric toothbrushes. Never bin them at home. Instead take them back to the shop you bought them from or to the electrical recycling points at recycling centres.
Recycle paper and card
We’re often snowed under with paper and card over Christmas. Whether it’s cardboard delivery boxes piling up, or mounds of wrapping paper and Christmas cards.
You can recycle these in your paper and card bin.
Remember to only recycle wrapping paper if it doesn’t contain plastic – like glitter. To test if paper is plastic-free, scrunch it up in your hand; if it stays scrunched, it’s paper and can be recycled. If it bounces back, it contains plastic and can’t be recycled.
Plastics
For the first time you can recycle plastic pots, tubs, and trays in your mixed recycling bin this Christmas, alongside your glass bottles, cans, tins and foil. This includes items like cream and yoghurt pots, plastic mince pie trays, and even the plastic parts of advent calendars.
If they are grubby, just ensure you give the items a quick rinse before placing them in the recycling bin.
Find a recycling centre
Your local tip is your best friend over the festive period. Recycle for Greater Manchester’s recycling centres are open every day except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. They’re free to visit, and you can go up to 52 times per year.
So, if you have lots of excess waste over Christmas, like cardboard, plastic packaging and old electrical items, you can recycle them at one of the 20 tips across Greater Manchester.
By following these guidelines, you can enjoy the festivities while being environmentally responsible. Let’s make this festive season not only joyful but also green.
