City of Clearwater, FL
12/23/2024 | Press release | Archived content
Holiday Recycling Tips
Holiday Recycling Tips
Published on December 23, 2024
Greetings! With the holidays upon us, here are some tips on how to properly dispose of your holiday items.
Cardboard
Getting lots of packages ahead of the holidays? Be sure to break them down and place them in your blue recycle bin. If they are too large to fit in your bin, you can rip or cut them to fit or drop them off at 1701 N Hercules Ave. Cardboard that is placed out as bulk is not recycled. All packing materials should be removed before recycling boxes.
Wrapping Paper
When choosing wrapping paper to purchase and use, avoid glitter and foil so that it can be recycled after it is used. Be sure to gather your wrapping paper after opening gifts and recycle any without plastic, glitter, or foil elements. Keep bags, bows, and ribbons to use again or throw them away if they are not suitable for reuse. The large cardboard roll that wrapping paper comes on can be placed in your recycle bin.
Disposable Food Containers, Plates and Cutlery
If you are using plastic food containers this holiday season, be sure to rinse and dry them before tossing them into your recycling bin. If they have food residue on them, throw them away.
For disposable plates and cutlery, remember to throw them in the garbage. They do not belong in the recycle bin. Paper and plastic plates, cutlery, napkins, and paper towels are all considered garbage.
The recycling stream is ruined when materials with leftover foods are thrown into your blue recycling bin. Everything you put in your bin should be empty, clean and dry to prevent contamination of good, clean recycling. You can also compost items to keep them out of the landfill.
Styrofoam and Packing Peanuts
When presents are unwrapped and opened, throw away the Styrofoam, or return it to the grocery store for recycling. Styrofoam, packing peanuts and foam aren't accepted in Clearwater's recycling program. When placed in blue bins, they contaminate the stream and ruin clean recyclables.
Holiday Trees
Clearwater Solid Waste will collect holiday trees at the curb starting the week after Christmas. Remember to remove all decorations before placing your tree at the curb. String lights and other décor should be fully removed before disposal.
Fireworks
Let's be safe this New Year's Eve and make sure spent fireworks are extinguished before putting them in your trash can. Submerge them in a bucket of water overnight, and then place in a plastic bag to keep them from drying out. Hot fireworks can melt your black solid waste barrel and cause dangerous fires.