Can You Recycle Wrapping Paper?

The festive season is upon us! This is truly one of the most wonderful times of the year and the Christmas holidays are a chance to gather with our loved ones and celebrate together. It also means gifts and presents galore; but have you ever wondered what happens to all that discarded wrapping paper?

While you might think that throwing away that bag of balled-up paper doesn’t cause too much harm, research has shown that collectively, the United States discards around 4.6 million lbs worth each Christmas. That’s the equivalent of 30 million trees being cut down, which means gift giving can have a big impact on our planet.

Can you recycle your wrapping paper?

Surely the answer is just to recycle that paper, right? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as straight forward as that. Although a lot of modern wrapping paper is recyclable, quite a bit remains unsuitable and is destined for landfill.

A lot of wrapping that contains additives, glitter, foil, and other coatings can contaminate recycling streams. However plainer paper is perfectly suitable and can save a lot of waste. A good rule to follow is to crumple the paper up into a tight ball. If it stays crumpled, it can be recycled. If it unfolds again, then it cannot. Remember, even if yours stays crumpled, you’ll need to remove any tape and tags that might still be attached!

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If the festive season has left your home needing a little TLC, then The Highland Cleaning Company is here for you! We specialize in providing deep house cleans that will leave your property looking its very best, allowing you to kick-start 2024 in the best possible way.

We also know the importance of sustainability, which is why we use eco-friendly cleaning products and techniques to ensure you are minimizing your impact on the planet. Want to find out more? Get in touch today for your free estimate.