QUICK TIPS TO REDUCING HOLIDAY WASTE
The holidays are here! According to the EPA, household waste increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Here is how to dispose of common improperly disposed holiday items.
Decorations
Consider checking with your community reuse networks to find and/or donate slightly used decorations. Visit AthensServices.com/MaterialReuse for ideas. Place in the trash any non-paper or cardboard-based decorations, such as broken holiday ornaments.
Gift Bags
Gift bags with little to no color or decorations are highly recyclable (e.g. kraft bags). Remove all contents (including tissue paper), handles and tags if made from a material other than paper, and place in trash any items with a glossy coating or decorated with foil, feathers, glitter, ribbon, or any non-paper content.
Tissue Paper, Bows, and Ribbons
These items cannot be recycled and should be thrown away in the trash container. Tissue paper cannot be placed in the recycling due to excess dye and paper fibers that are too short to be recycled.
String and Holiday Lights
String and holiday lights are considered electronic waste and are not allowed in any waste container.
Residential Drop Off - Visit LACitySan.org/safecenters to find the nearest S.A.F.E. Collection Center.
Business Collection - Request a pick up, for a fee, by calling the LASAN Customer Care Center at (800) 773-2489.
Wrapping Paper
Regular and glossy wrapping paper is recyclable unless it has non-paper additives like metallic flakes, colored shapes, glitter and plastics. Foil, metallic and heavily laminated wrapping paper should also be thrown away instead of recycled. Please do not recycle foil, plastic coating, ribbon, bows, or glitter.
And remember, compost all leftover food scraps in your green organics container.