BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) — The hustle and bustle of the holidays may be winding down, but the cleanup continues. It may be tempting to toss everything in the garbage; but with a little effort and help from Brown County Resource Recovery, there’s a greener way.
Gift wrapping such as tissue paper, glitter or foiled wrapping paper, or bags cannot be recycled and should go with your regular garbage. If you can, save them for another season. Ribbon and bows (if not nice enough to save) should be thrown in with your regular trash as well.
Tree decorations such as ornaments and bulbs can be donated if they are no longer wanted and in good condition. If not, they should be thrown away. For glass ornaments, wrap them in paper to prevent shattered pieces from being exposed.
Holiday lights, whether indoor or outdoor, do not belong in the recycling. These are considered tanglers and can get caught in sorting machines which can lead to breakage and potential danger for staff. Take string lights or any tangler to the Hazardous Material Recovery facility for safe disposal.
After your tree is free of its trimmings, instead of just putting it to the curb, place it in your yard for backyard animals to use as shelter. Redecorate it with animal friendly ornaments such as pinecones covered in seeds or popcorn garland. When spring comes you can mulch your tree to use as garden bedding.
Greeting cards come in various materials and each are disposed of differently. For cardstock or paper cards, recycle them. Photo cards or cards covered in glitter or foil need to be thrown away. If you have a card that is unique, save the front to be used again.
Brown County Resource Recovery’s Business Development Manager, Mark Walter, encourages residents to utilize the app betterbin while determining what items are recyclable.
“The app allows you to scan the barcode of any product and it will tell you weather or not that product is recyclable.” said Walter.
Walter also said that plastic bags cannot be thrown into recycling bins; and recycled items collected in plastic bags must be emptied from the bag when tossing it into recycling.
For more information on efficient recycling, visit the Brown County Resource Recovery website or use the Tri-County Recycling Waste Wizard.
Comments