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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