Dealing With Christmas Waste

Dealing With Christmas Waste

                                             Dealing with Christmas Waste 


So, it is just over a week until Christmas and you are probably already dreading the huge clear-up when the big day is over.  So much goes to waste, therefore our litter bins become overloaded and it is hard to know what to do with it all. This is the period of the year when the amount of rubbish that is thrown away is far above any other time of the year; therefore, keeping it under control is essential to maintaining good waste management.


1.  Christmas trees

If you don’t own a fake Christmas tree as you don’t have room, you may wish to purchase a real tree for the Christmas season and get rid of it when it’s all over.  There is nothing wrong with purchasing a real tree, however disposing of them in the correct way wouldn’t take long and would be highly beneficial to the environment. People often just throw them into their rubbish bin, but councils often provide a recycling service for Christmas trees. Keep your eyes and ears open so you don’t miss the collection should your neighbourhood provide one. Trees can be used for wood chippings once discarded. If you don’t have a collection that you are aware of, leaving it in your recycling bin would be the best option.


2. Food waste

Approximately 4.2 million tonnes avoidable food waste is disposed of every single year! At Christmas, the amount of food wasted is greater than any other time of year. This is due to the excessive amounts bought for Christmas day, parties and New Year celebrations. Most it is never eaten and good food is getting thrown out. To avoid having to do this, plan portion sizes, eat leftovers for other parties or occasions around that time and buy food when you need it rather than in bulk.

If you have lots of vegetable waste, you can throw it into a compost bin. If not, tip it on your garden – it will be gone in no time once birds get their little beaks on it!

3. Christmas paper and gift wrapping

Instead of using paper to wrap gifts, why not use gift bags? That way paper isn’t wasted and you can re-use the bags every year. Paper can be recycled though which isn’t so bad. Use a designated recycling bin to tip your wasted paper into and wait for a collection.

4.  Christmas cards

If you are not entirely sure about whether to send Christmas cards, you could choose to donate the money to a worthy charity. You will also be saving on waste too if the people you are sending them too aren’t big on recycling. If you do receive lots of cards, you can make use of them rather than disposing of them. If you have time, you could cut them up and make gift tags out of them!


5.  Presents

Most people receive presents at Christmas that they absolutely hate and want to get rid of as soon as possible. Whether it be a funky jumper that just isn’t your taste or perfume that isn’t your type of scent, don’t throw anything away. There are plenty of charities out there that would make use of these gifts, by donating them to the needy or selling them on in charity shops. If you do have clothing that you really don’t want but are unsure where to donate them to, take them to a recycling station designated specifically to clothing. They will then be recycled and made into new garments.

6.  Christmas drinks

Christmas is the season for excessive drinking – celebrating the festive season as well as bringing in the New Year. Yet, this makes for ridiculous amounts of waste when it comes to cans and bottles. Ensure that all waste is designated in the correct boxes and bins ready for collection, otherwise such items could end up on landfill and create serious impacts on the environment.

A final message…

We would like to wish our past and present customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We also look forward to welcoming our future clients onto our website in 2017. Take care and remember to ‘watch your waste!’