What can and cannot be recycled from the holidays? [Video]

According to the City of Calgary, people living in the city generate about 25 per cent more waste “during the Christmas season, but recycling doubles and a lot of what’s in the blue bins shouldn’t be there.”

“We definitely see some wish-cycling during the Christmas season,” said Sharon Howland, program management leader with waste and recycling services for the City of Calgary.

“About 15 per cent of what Calgarians put in their blue carts shouldn’t be in there, and that’s things like burnt-out Christmas tree lights, broken toys, electronics and batteries—things that are definitely dangerous at the recycling facility that we do not want in that blue bin.”

Howland says most people putting unrecyclable items in their blue bins simply aren’t aware of what’s acceptable and what isn’t.

That’s why every year she offers a primer on how to quickly determine what’s OK and what’s not.