During the holidays, opening gifts, baking cookies and celebrating with loved ones at different homes is the theme of the holidays. But what happens when the celebrations end? And how much waste is created? Where does all that material go?

Rumpke wants to remind everyone how easy it can be to reduce waste and recycle more this holiday season.

Gift Ideas: 

• Recycle your wrapping paper! As long as it’s not shiny/contains glitter or foil material, recycle your loose wrapping paper.
• Make the gift bag part of the gift! Use a basket or reusable shopping bag as the vehicle for gift giving.
• Reuse tissue paper! Remember that old tissue paper you held on to after you opened your gift? Use it to wrap next year’s gifts or as a cushion for your ornaments.
• If you don't have reusable bags, purchase a brown paper gift bag and recycle it – or keep it for next year’s holiday parties.
• Hold on to your shipping boxes to use them again for gift boxes.

Christmas Dinner reminders:

• Rinse and out and recycle your gravy jars, eggnog cartons, cans of green beans and more. Listed below are general guidelines of our acceptable items list 
• Be mindful of the containers you are purchasing from the grocery store. Ask yourself:
  • Can I recycle this?  
  • Can I reuse this?  
  • Can it go into the Hefty ReNew bag? 
  • Will we eat it all, or will there be leftovers? 
• Limit the single use containers you purchase 
  • Bring your own casserole dish to the party – set a reminder to grab it before you leave 
  • Use a physical container lid instead of cling wrap or foil 

Other Sustainable Tips:

If you’re hosting, remind your friends and family to recycle their materials and be sustainable with what they are bringing to your gathering 

• BYOK – bring your own kitchenware! 
  • If you're hosting a potluck, suggest to your guest to bring their own Christmas plate to use. This creates less waste with paper plates and can start good conversation about each different plate.
  • Create a contest where everyone brings their own Christmas mug, and most festive/ugliest/creative/largest mug receives a prize.

While we have plenty of suggestions, we also want to remind everyone of our general recycling guidelines:

• Place items loose in your recycling cart.
• Avoid items that can tangle or wrap around automated equipment:
  • Clothing, Christmas lights, hangers, etc.
• Recycle your aluminum and steel cans
• Rumpke accepts glass bottles and jars of all colors. The processing plant is right here in Dayton!
• When it comes to plastic, Rumpke accepts items based on shape, not the number:
  • Plastic bottles – milk jugs and water bottles. Empty, crush, then replace the lid.
  • Plastic tubs – butter, sour cream, yogurt, etc.
  • Plastic cups – remove the straw and replace the lid. Cups that come from coffee shops and fast food restaurants.
• Do not recycle batteries, and do not throw them in your waste bin.
  • Return them to your local electronic store instead.
• And if you aren’t sure, ask us!

If you would like to learn more about the Hefty ReNew program and how it can increase your recycling, please visit hefty.com/renew

Certain items not accepted in our curbside recycling may be taken to specialty recycling drop-offs. Contact your local solid waste district or visit their website to locate proper drop-off locations.

We want everyone to have safe, sustainable, and celebrations. From our family to yours, Rumpke wishes everyone a Happy Holiday season!

To learn more about recycling, please visit rumpke.com