To find regular hours of your local Eco-Depot or Transfer Station, click here.
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree, did you know you can recycle thee
Real trees can be brought to any TNRD Eco-Depot or Transfer Station throughout the month of January. Please remove any decorations and lights so these trees can be recycled properly. Find your nearest TNRD Eco-Depot or Transfer Station location.
Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Leave the tinsel and garland that be jolly, fa la la la la la la
Plastic-based decorations like tinsel and garland are not recyclable and fill up landfills after the holidays. This year, try to incorporate natural decorations such as evergreen wreaths and garland. These decorations can be composted when the season is over. To find out how to start your backyard composter check out the Compost Council of Canada.
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me… More packages than can fit under this tree
All that online shopping comes with more packaging than you may know what to do with. Bubble wrap? Mailer envelopes? To find out where to recycle hundreds of packaging types check out the What Goes Where search. Want to search even faster? Download the App
The Recycle BC program can accept most packaging types. With proper sorting most items can be brought to your local Eco-Depot or Transfer Station and diverted from landfill.
More Waste Reduction Tips
Don’t Forget About the Wrapping: Wrapping paper is a big source of waste during the holiday season; wrapping papers made out of plastic, foil or mylar cannot be recycled. Consider using 100% paper wrapping instead, which can be recycled at any TNRD Eco-Depot or Transfer Station, or placed in curbside recycling bins.
Waste-Free Entertaining: If you’re hosting over the holiday season, one way to reduce the amount of waste you create is to use the cutlery in drawers and the dishes in your cupboards. Plastic cutlery and disposable plates are convenient, but they are not recyclable and end up at the landfill. Doing that extra load of dishes will help you reduce waste during the holidays.
Give Experiences: Many well-intended gifts given around the holidays eventually will end up in the landfill. Consider giving experiences instead of things as a way to reduce waste during the holidays, whether that’s gifting someone a night away or tickets to their favourite show or sporting event.
“Our country and world need change. My sincere hope is that we start making positive changes for the planet. All these gifts, packages, and decoration will fill up our landfills over the next few months. With a bit of time and consideration folks can focus on reducing waste and buying sustainably.”
Andrew Roebbelen – Waste Reduction Coordinator, TNRD