What can I recycle this Christmas?

Not sure which bin to put it in? Let us help!

The contents of our bins can be a little different at Christmas time, so here are some of the items we’re most commonly asked about and how to recycle or dispose of them in Lincolnshire.

Please remember, if it’s glittery or greasy – keep it out of your recycling bin.

Check your bin days over Christmas with your district council.

Our Household Waste Recycling Centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day; they are open as normal on all other scheduled days.

Advent calendars

You can recycle your advent calendar as long as it doesn’t have any glitter or foil on the front.

Please separate the plastic tray inside from the outer cardboard.

Boxes

Whether it’s from online shopping, kids’ toys, or party food – we seem to have a lot more cardboard boxes around Christmas time.

Cardboard can be recycled at home in your purple-lidded bin if you have one, or in your recycling bin.

Cutting up your cardboard boxes will help you fit more into your bin, or you can take extra cardboard recycling to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Christmas cards

When it’s time to take your Christmas cards down, you can recycle them as long as there is no foil, glitter or glue on the front.

If there is, you can tear off the back of the card and recycle that, and then put the front in your general waste.

Christmas crackers

Separate your crackers out once you’ve used them. Any cardboard and paper can be recycled, as long as it doesn’t have any glitter or foil on it.

Other items, such as plastics, ribbons, or any foil or glittery card needs to go in your general waste bin.

Crisp packets and tubes

Crisp packets and crisp tubes (such as Pringles) can’t be recycled and need to go in your general waste bin.

Electrical items and batteries

Take old electrical items to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre. Batteries can be recycled there too, or you can often find battery recycling points in supermarkets.

Do not put any electrical items or batteries into any of your bins at home, or in the general waste at the recycling centre – it can cause fires.

Food waste and vegetable peelings

Any food waste needs to go in your general waste bin, including vegetable peelings.

If you have a home composter, you can recycle vegetable peelings, eggshells, teabags and more in your compost bin – but these can’t go in your garden waste recycling bin from the council.

Glass bottles and cans

‘Tis the season to be merry – and once we’ve finished those extra drinks bottles and cans, they can be rinsed and recycled in your recycling bin at home.

Extra glass bottles can be taken to a bring bank at most large supermarkets, or to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Sweets, biscuits and chocolates

Soft plastic sweet and chocolate wrappers cannot be recycled and need to go in your general waste bin.

If you’ve had a box of biscuits – the cardboard and plastic tray can be recycled (as long as they’re not black or brown). The cellophane wrapper will need to go in your general waste bin.

If you’ve had a tub of chocolates, like Celebrations or Heroes, the plastic tub can be recycled. Sometimes these can also come in soft plastic bags – this would need to go in your general waste bin.

If you’ve got ay foil-wrapped chocolate, mince pie foil tins, or even a metal chocolate tins – these can all be recycled as long as they’re clean and dry.

Some chocolates are now wrapped in paper too, which can be recycled at home.

Takeaway containers and pizza boxes

If you wash out plastic or foil tubs and they are clean, they can be recycled.

Pizza boxes and other cardboard, such as lids, will be too greasy and need to go in your general waste bin.

Trees

Real Christmas trees can be recycled at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre. If they are small enough, they can be chopped-up and recycled in your garden waste bin at home.

St Barnabas Hospice also offer a tree-cycling scheme.

Plastic Christmas trees that you no longer need can be donated to charity or disposed of at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Old clothes

If you’re having a clear out to make way for your new stuff, you can take old clothes and other textiles to a Household Waste Recycling Centre, or to a clothes bank or charity shop near you.

Wrapping paper

If it’s glittery or has foil on it, it can’t be recycled. Plain wrapping paper can go in your recycling bin (purple-lidded bin if you have one).

Why not bring two bags into your living room on Christmas morning; one for recyclable paper and one for the bin. But remember to empty the bag into your recycling bin – we can’t recycle plastic bags!

Want to help make the season a little greener? Check out our top tips for a more sustainable Christmas.