How to Recycle Paper During the Holiday Season
Recycling Tips for Greeting Cards, Gift Bags, Cardboard Boxes and More
During the holiday season, our homes are filled with greeting cards, shipping boxes, and wrapping paper. While many of these paper items can be recycled at mills across the country, some can't.
DID YOU KNOW
Explore facts about paper recyclingAbout 125,000 tons of paper are recycled every single day. We turn it into the essential paper products Americans rely on.
Holiday Paper and Paper Packaging Recycling: What Goes Where?
Here are some tips to recycle your paper and packaging this holiday season. The best pro tip? Always check your local guidelines for what’s accepted!
Cardboard Boxes
Cardboard boxes that arrive on your doorstep are okay to recycle. Empty the box, break it down flat, then put it in the recycling bin. You do not need to remove shipping labels or tape.
Pro tip? If your box is dented, beat up, ripped or even a little dirty from the shipping process, it can still be recycled.
Greeting Cards and Envelopes
Greeting cards and envelopes made of paper are usually okay to recycle. If they are covered in glitter or made from photo paper, they cannot be recycled. If your card sings, remove the battery as well.
Don’t worry about removing the stamp from the envelope.
Gift Bags
Paper gift bags can be put in the recycling bin. However, gift bags made with plastic or fabric should be reused because they cannot go in your curbside bin.
If your paper gift bag has rope handles, glitter, or beads, these items need to be removed before placing the bag in the recycling bin.
Decorative Tissue Paper
Decorative tissue paper is recyclable if it isn’t glittery or metallic. Be sure to check your local guidelines before placing items in your recycling bin.
Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper can be recycled in many areas around the U.S. Generally, if you can scrunch it up and it stays in a tight ball, it is paper-based and can be recycled.
Other types made from foil or plastic wrap, or if they’re covered in glitter, should be reused.
Ribbons and Bows
Ribbons and bows, while pretty, are not accepted in curbside recycling bins. Try to reuse those too.