We’re well into December, and many of us are busy getting ready for Christmas.
We’re planning what we want to eat, the presents we’re buying for friends and family, and decorating our homes.
Have you thought about how you could make this Christmas more sustainable?
We’re asking everyone in the South Hams to recycle as much as they can this Christmas – we’ve got some handy information on what you can and can’t recycle this Christmas.
Wrapping paper
Traditional Christmas wrapping paper and sticky tape should be put in your rubbish bin. Our recycling team can't take traditional wrapping paper, so if you put it into in with your recycling, we can’t take it and will leave it in your container.
If you want to be more sustainable this Christmas, use brown or plain paper instead of standard Christmas wrapping paper.
Cardboard from online deliveries
You'll undoubtedly have a lot of packaging around the house if you're doing some of your Christmas shopping online.
If you have cardboard, cut it up, flatten it and put it in recycling box 2.
Any polystyrene or bubble wrap from your parcels should go in your black bin bag.
Christmas cards
Any Christmas cards without glitter, stuck on decoration or shiny bits can be recycled - put it into recycling box 2.
Glittery cards, cards with shiny bits or stuck on decorations should go in your black bin bag.
Food leftovers
We all tend to overdo it at Christmas and cook more than we can eat - you can put leftovers in your food caddy, including:
✔ Turkey, chicken or meat carcasses
✔ Uncooked or cooked food waste
✔ Fruit and veg peelings, nutshells and fruit stones
Sweet tubs
Plastic sweet tubs can be recycled in your white sack, as can foil cases - rinse them and scrunch them together in a ball.
Plastic sweet wrappers should go in your black bag.
Advent calendars
Most Advent calendars are recyclable - you can separate the main parts and pop them in your recycling:
✔ Cardboard - in recycling box 2
✔ Foil (scrunch it into a ball first) - in your white sack
✔ Plastic trays - also in your white sack
Drinks bottles and cans
Will you be enjoying a tipple or two this Christmas?
Most drinks containers are recyclable:
✔ Plastic bottles, their lids and metal lids from glass jars and bottles – washed out and put in your white sack
✔ Drinks cans – washed out and put in your white sack
✔ Juice cartons - recycling box 2
✔ Glass bottles and jars - in recycling box 1
✘ Corks (natural and plastic) - not recyclable, should go in your grey bin
Aluminium trays and packaging
Lots of Christmas food will come in tins, or with aluminium trays for cooking. Wash these out and place them in your white sack for recycling.
Click here for more information on how to get the most of your recycling containers this Christmas.
You can also watch our video on how to sort your recycling: