When we unwrapped our Christmas presents on Christmas morning I saved all the paper for recycling. Plus, I purchased recyclable wrapping paper this year. Today a friend told me wrapping paper can’t be recycled. Surely, she isn’t correct.
Ardent Recycler
Dear Ardent Recycler,
Unfortunately, your friend is correct. Wrapping paper is not recyclable as most wrapping paper is thin and made of very short fibers, thus it cannot be recycled. Some wrapping paper has a plastic coating or contains dyes, or glitter, which also makes it nonrecyclable. Most tissue paper is made of recycled paper, so its fibers are also too short to go through recycling process again. The recyclable wrapping paper on the market today is good for the environment, but it is not recyclable at the Recycling Center. We don’t have the special sorting equipment necessary to distinguish between recyclable wrapping paper and nonrecyclable wrapping paper. Each Christmas, the Recycling Center finds a large amount of wrapping paper in the office paper bin, all of which must be removed as it is a contaminant for office paper and our buyers will reject it. Please consider using brown paper bags, comics, or old maps as wrapping paper next year. They make attractive packages, and all are recyclable. Reusable gift bags are another way to keep all the Christmas package wrappings out of the landfill.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I love to bake during the holidays; thus, I have many empty sugar and flour bags. Can these bags be recycled?
Holiday Baker
Dear Holiday Baker,
Flour and sugar bags may or may not be recyclable, depending on their inner linings. The lining in flour bags must protect the flour from weevils, moisture, and air. This protection is provided by a pouch made of several layers of paper. The inner layer of the pouch may be brown or white paper, or it may be plastic. The flour bags with the inner layer of paper can be recycled. However, the bags with the inner layer of plastic cannot be recycled. The same is true of sugar bags, although the reason for the layers of protection is somewhat different. The inner layer of sugar bags must be airtight, as well as impenetrable to prevent attracting ants. As with flour bags, when the inner layer is paper, the sugar bag is recyclable. When the inner layer is plastic, the bag is not recyclable. Recyclable flour bags and sugar bags are both recycled with cardboard.
Dear Recycle Lady,
We have a lot of older non-LED Christmas lights that don’t work anymore. What should we do with them? Can they be recycled?
Sparkling Lights
Dear Sparkling Lights,
Your old Christmas lights, both LED and non-LED, working or non-working, colored or white, can definitely be recycled. Take them to the Recycling Center and go to the Aluminum can door. Press the button and someone will come to assist you.
A reminder of pickup days for recycling for all those within the Lewisburg city limits who have trash pickup: The first week of 2024 curbside pickup is Monday, Jan. 8, and every two weeks thereafter. (Everyone who pays for trash pickup within the city limits has free curbside pickup of recyclables.) For questions concerning pickup, call Greenworks Recycling at 304-661-7793.
Wishing Everyone a Safe, Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to grecycle450@gmail.com. Please note my email address has changed. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
