During the holiday season, once the wrapping paper comes off and decorations come down, it's important to know which items go in which trash bins.
“So there’s definitely a lot more activity," said Coby Skye, San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) Executive Director. "People are buying a lot more things, there’s more presents and people going out to eat, and so waste totals generally do increase.”
So, if you're planning on opening gifts and eating lots of food, here’s what you need to know.
Zach Zimmerman of San Luis Obispo Waste Connections says that the green bin is great for yard clippings, but you can also put other leftovers in there.
“Any organic waste you may have from that family feast around the holidays, so meat, bones, dairy, that’s all good to go with us," Zimmerman said. "Just make sure that there is no wrappers or plastic bags in there.”
Some wrapping paper can be recycled, but any metallic or plastic-coated paper cannot.
“And because of those coatings, the gift wrapping is typically not recyclable, so that would need to go into your trash,” Skye said.
As for gifts that require batteries, once those batteries are used up, don’t just throw them in the trash. They can be a fire hazard. There is a different way to dispose of them.
“The best way to do that is taking them to a household hazardous waste facility. There are many of them located all throughout SLO County," Zimmerman said. "You can also take them back to anywhere that sells batteries and they will accept them from you free of charge."
Once it's time for the Christmas tree to come down, there is also a certain way you should dispose of it.
"Often the most easy way to do that is to cut that tree down into pieces that are four feet or smaller and put it into your green bin. There are some locations where you can actually put it on the curb as well," Skye said.
Here's what else the IWMA says should go in each bin:
- Blue bin (Recycling) - Boxes with tape and labels, greeting cards and envelopes, aluminum trays, hard plastic clamshell packaging, foil from chocolate coins (in a ball bigger than 2 inches)
- Green Bin (Organics) - Christmas trees, fruitcake and uneaten food, mistletoe and wreaths made of natural materials
- Gray/black bin (Landfill) - Wrapping paper, tissue paper, bubble mailers, flocked trees, styrofoam
For more information, you can visit the SLO County Solid Waste Resources website.
