As the tree drops needles and the cards start to fall over, it’s time to start thinking about how to dispose of Christmas and all it brings responsibly.
Cllr Stan Waddington, Cabinet member for environment, said: “Christmas can have a big impact on the environment, but everyone can do their bit to reduce their festive footprint. It’s easy to take your Christmas cards for recycling when you go shopping.”
In January drop off your Christmas cards in the Woodland Trust recycling bins at branches of Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx and HomeSense. The money raised will help the Woodland Trust charity plant 12,000 new native trees across the UK.
Since the scheme began 14 years ago, 15,000 tonnes of card has been collected and saved from being dumped in landfill and 200,000 trees have been planted for communities to enjoy for generations to come.
Donors can even choose where they want trees to be planted by going onto the website www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/cards and pledging to recycle.
Real Christmas trees are 100% compostable. For details of what to do with them where you live, visit www.recycleforgloucestershire.com/news
Meanwhile, a wide range of items can be taken to any of the five county council Household Recycling Centres (HRCs), including Christmas trees and electrical items.
This Christmas, Santa is expected to deliver £7.3 billion worth of new electrical goods nationally. So if your old toaster, laptop or electric toothbrush is past its best, take it to the HRC for recycling.
Research from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) reveals that on average, every household has three old broken or unwanted small electrical goods lying around – that’s 750,000 items in Gloucestershire alone.
Small electrical and battery powered items contain toxic materials such as lead and chromium, which are potentially harmful to the environment if buried underground.
