Education Center


Sorting Holiday Waste in WHRM - Common Items

Whenever possible, remember to reuse or donate items in usable condition before tossing them!

 

organics Organicschristmas-organics.png

  • Printed paper gift wrap (if it's foil or plastic, it goes into the garbage)
  • Printed paper gift bags (if it's laminated plastic (glossy), it goes into the garbage)
  • Tissue paper
  • Burlap & natural twine
  • Natural wreaths & garland (separated from all non-compostable wire & decorations)
  • Christmas trees (cut small enough to fit into the green cart - lid must close)
  • Bamboo utensils
  • Napkins & paper towel
  • Clementine boxes (with plastic mesh removed)
  • Nut shells
  • Seafood shells
  • All food scraps that can't be saved

 

recycle 1 Recycling stream #1 (Containers)christmas recycle

  • Plastic, metal & glass packaging items (includes CLEAN food packaging)
  • Tin and other metal containers
  • CLEAN aluminum foil & aluminum plates

 

recycle 2 Recycling stream #2 (Paper)

  • Kraft paper gift wrap (no heavy dyes)
  • Kraft Paper gift bags (no heavy dyes; if it's laminated (glossy), it goes into the garbage)
  • Paper greeting cards (with all batteries & non-recyclable decorative material removed)
  • Paper gift boxes 
  • Letters & envelopes
  • Catalogues & flyers
  • Cardboard boxes (when broken down, if cardboard is too large to fit securely into a tied bag, please ensure it is bundled within WHRM length limits for curbside collection)

 

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  • Plastic & foil gift wrap 
  • Laminated (glossy) gift bags
  • Bows & ribbons
  • Bubble wrap
  • Artificial Christmas trees & garlands
  • Broken ornaments (ensure any broken glass is safely contained in a box & labelled; you can either place the box into one of your garbage bags, or next to your bags at curbside; please ensure this is visible to collectors)
  • Christmas string lights
  • Plastic cutlery
  • Styrofoam™ (polystyrene) products
  • Dirty aluminum foil and plates (if clean, recycle aluminum materials!)
  • Candles
  • Plastic & foil candy wrappers 
  • Mixed-material items that can't be separated (i.e. a pringles container, most coffee bags & canisters, toys, etc.)

 

Materials NOT collected curbside

  • Batteries: Please visit https://www.call2recycle.ca/ to find a Call2Recycle drop-off location near you.
  • Electronics: Effective February 1st, 2003, electronic waste can no longer be buried in the landfill and is not collected curbside. View the full, updated, list of items included  pdf here(73 KB) .

    - Drop off unwanted electronics at: New Boundaries, 79 Centennial Drive (902-798-5160), or visit: https://www.recyclemyelectronics.ca/ns/ for all e-waste drop-off locations in Nova Scotia.

 

If we missed anything, search from thousands of waste items to learn what goes where on R6RECYCLES! 

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