December is a busy time of year but the Madison County Department of Solid Waste is here to make it easier with these helpful tips for rethinking waste during the holiday season.
Gift-Wrap: Recycle paper products such as gift boxes and paper wrapping paper. Metallic and plastic wrapping paper along with bows, tissue paper and ribbons should go in the trash. Or, save and reuse them for next year!
Holiday Lights: Although old holiday lights do not go in the curbside recycling bin, large home improvement stores will accept them for recycling during the holiday season.
Cardboard Boxes: Flatten your cardboard shipping and product boxes before placing them in the recycling bin. Be sure to remove any plastic or Styrofoam packaging.
Plastic Packaging: Plastic packaging should not go in the curbside recycling bin; instead, drop off plastic films such as plastic shipping bags, air pillows and bubble wrap to the plastic film recycling boxes located at a local grocery store or retailer.
Styrofoam: Bulky, white Styrofoam can be recycled at the Buyea Road Residential Station. Remove any tape or labels. Styrofoam peanuts, cups and plates are trash.
Holiday Cards: Recycle paper holiday cards as long as they do not contain foil, ribbons or any non-paper materials.
Christmas Trees: After the holidays, take live trees and wreaths to one of the County’s transfer stations for composting. Remove any ornaments, wires and lights before dropping it off.
Electronics: Recycle old electronics by bringing them to LOJO Technology in Oneida. LOJO Technology is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 3 PM. The next Saturday drop-off event will be January 11 from 9 AM to 1 PM at LOJO’s. Business waste will not be accepted.
“The holidays can generate a lot of extra waste. By following these easy holiday tips, you can save time and reduce the amount you are throwing away,” said Kristin Welch, the Madison County Recycling Coordinator. “And if you’re not sure if an item can be recycled, you can go to madisoncountyrecycles.ny.gov and type the material into our search tool.”
For more recycling information and upcoming events, visit MadisonCountyRecycles.ny.gov or visit their Facebook page at Madison County Solid Waste & Recycling.