A holiday heads up for those unsure of where to put the wrapping paper after it has been torn off of any gifts received over the weekend.
Throw it out.
Wrapping paper, especially the glittery, coloured and/or metallic wrapping paper is heavily saturated with dye and contains very little fibre which can be recycled.
To cut down on the amount of wrapping paper that will end up in the landfill residents are encouraged to wrap gifts using recyclable materials like newspaper, kraft paper, and even old maps.
Alternatively, you can use reusable items such as fabric and gift bags, tea towels, even scarves, which can be used repeatedly year after year.
A contest is also being held by the city’s Solid Waste and Recycling Service called “Ho Ho Hold the Waste Holiday Waste Reduction Contest.
Residents are invited to demonstrate their commitment to reducing the amount of waste produced over the holidays through creative and sustainable solutions, similar to the examples above.
Take a photo of your idea and post it to social media under the hashtag “#HoHoHoldTheWaste”.
It will run for three weeks and each week a prize valued at approximately $100 will be awarded to the best waste reduction entry showcased, which also follows the contests rules, which can be found here.
The them for Week #2 is “No Waste Entertaining”, with a hint of using reusable table ware instead of disposable, creating zero-waste meals, and decorating your home with recycled materials.
To be eligible for this week entries must be posted online by 11:59 p.m. on December 26th.
Meanwhile if you plan on making a dump run over the next week be advised of holiday hours.
The City’s landfill and recycling depot is adjusting its operating hours as a result of Christmas and New Years.
On Saturday the facility will close at 4:30 p.m. and remain closed for the next three days.
It will reopen on the 27th, through to the 30th, and close again for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day before reopening on Tuesday January 2nd, 2024.
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