Christmas may be over, but now it’s time to recycle
Don’t forget your tree and cards have a life beyond the festive season!
Cllr Stan Waddington, Cabinet member for environment at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “Christmas can have a big impact on the environment, but everyone can do their bit to reduce their festive footprint. For example taking yourChristmas cards for recycling when you go shopping.”
In January drop off your Christmas cards in the Woodland Trust recycling bins at branches of Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx and HomeSense. The money raised will help the Woodland Trust charity plant 12,000 new native trees across the UK.
Since the scheme began 14 years ago, 15,000 tonnes of card has been collected and saved from being buried in landfill, and 200,000 trees have been planted forcommunities to enjoy for generations to come. Donors can even choose where they want trees to be planted by going onto the website www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/cards and pledging to recycle. Real Christmas trees are 100% compostable. For details on what to do with them where you live click here.
Meanwhile, a wide range of items can be taken to any of the five County Council Household Recycling Centres (HRC), including Christmas trees and electrical items. Over the festive period, Santa will have delivered £7.3 billion worth of new electrical goods nationally. So if your old toaster, laptop or electric toothbrush is past its best, take it to the HRC for recycling. Research from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) reveals that on average, every household has 3 old broken or unwanted small electrical goods lying around – that’s 750,000 items in Gloucestershire alone. Small electrical and battery powered items contain toxic materials such as lead and chromium, which are potentially harmful to the environment if buried underground.