People have been reminded about this rule ahead of December 25 when millions will tear into presents
People are being urged to test their wrapping paper on Christmas Day to ensure this innocent tradition doesn’t harm the environment. It comes after a TV reminder that not all gift wrap is made equally, and some can’t be recycled.
It is a common scene for many on Christmas morning, with piles of wrapping paper left behind in the wake of opening gifts. However, people should think twice and carry out a simple check before throwing everything into the recycling bin, as some paper could cause issues.
Speaking on a recent episode of BBC Morning Live, lifestyle presenter Jacqui Joseph claimed that people need to be vigilant and carry out a simple test to see if their wrapping paper can or can’t be recycled. If people end up putting unrecyclable paper in their recycling bin, it could spoil tonnes of otherwise recyclable items that then end up going to landfill.
However, there is a quick test people can do to check this. Jacqui said: “Your wrapping paper, if you scrunch it up, and it stays scrunched, that is paper and can be recycled. If you scrunch your paper, and it springs back into action, then it’s not recyclable and contains some kind of plastic in there.
“Most wrapping papers these days are recyclable. But, if you want to do that test, that is a good one to remember.” The common culprit when paper cannot be recycled is glitter.
For those who skip the paper and hand everything over in a gift bag, the same standard applies. Not all gift bags can be put in the recycling bin and may lead to issues with other recyclable waste.
Most gift bags and boxes in the UK should be able to go through the recycling process, provided that they are plain paper or thin cardboard. People need to remove any added decorations, such as bows, tags, and ribbons, first.
If they are plastic-coated, foiled, or heavily decorated bags (like with glitter) then it is best to put these out with general waste. Some suggest that the best way to ‘recycle’ these bags is to simply reuse them for a future gift, giving them a second lease of life.
Why can’t glittery items be recycled?
Glitter is a microplastic that contaminates the recycling process and can lead to entire batches of otherwise recyclable materials being sent to landfill. Even if people are extra vigilant with what goes into their recycling bin, glitter is notorious for spreading like wildfire with a single shake.
People might be able to salvage some Christmas items that tend to have added glitter. For example, with greeting cards, people who want to recycle could tear off and dispose of the glittery sections in the general waste before recycling the plain card material.
If possible, when planning your gift wrapping, people should try to go for a simpler option. Patterned plain paper can still add personality to presents and be suitable to recycle – so long as it passes the ‘scrunch’ test.
