According to the City of Calgary, residents generate 25 per cent more waste around Christmas.
“Calgarians produce more waste during the holiday season than any other time of year,” said Sharon Howland, program management leader with waste and recycling services for the city.
Howland says the biggest things generally recycled incorrectly are packaging, wrapping paper and broken toys and ornaments.
She says foam trays and Styrofoam from gift packaging are garbage and not recyclable.
Any paper that tears and is glossy can be thrown in your blue cart.
Any cellophane or crinkly wrapping paper gets thrown in the black cart.
“To avoid the wrapping paper challenge, (there) is the reusable paper gift bag,” Howland said.
“You can save this for next year and any ribbons that may have been on it.”
Zero Waste Canada says within six months, only one per cent on average of everything people buy over the holidays is still in use, with 99 per cent of it being discarded.
Across the country, it says, 545,000 tonnes of waste are generated from gift wrapping and shopping bags each year.
On top of that, Canadians use about six million rolls of tape to wrap Christmas presents annually.
Howland says there are other ways to show love and festive fun instead of wrapping gifts.
“You can give an experience, or your time, perhaps,” she said.
“Or a donation to a charitable organization, instead of buying something that is highly packaged or might result in more waste being generated.”
Howland says one big misconception is what to do with your Christmas tree, if you happen to have a real one, after the holidays are over.
She says if you cut down the branches, the city will take it away for you.
Or you can drop it off at any of 16 drop-off locations.
“Put it right in that green cart,” Howland said.
“Remove all the decorations, all the netting, and take it out of the stand and put it in that green cart and we will collect it whenever you’re ready on your green cart collection day.”
Broken toys, Christmas lights, tinsel and ornaments should be disposed of in your black garbage can.
Likewise, any mesh or netting for your tree, toys or mandarin oranges.
Batteries also need to be disposed of properly, and not in your city bins.
Stores like Ikea have proper battery waste disposable.
A full guide to waste is available on the city’s website.
