Do you want to know how to recycle Christmas cards? ’Tis almost the season for all things festive and colourful. This means Xmas cards from family and friends adorning mantelpieces, side tables and desks.
However, come January, we are faced with packing up, throwing away and the often-neglected, but important, job of Christmas card recycling. Many of us don’t know which bins to use for Christmas card recycling or if Christmas cards can even be recycled. This article explores where to recycle Christmas cards, how to do it, and more.
- Can you recycle your Christmas cards?
- Should I put Christmas cards in the recycling or the bin?
- Christmas card recycling ideas
- How Christmas cards are recycled once you dispose of them
- Facts on Xmas card waste every year
- Let’s have a greener holiday season
Can you recycle Christmas cards?
Absolutely. Christmas cards are made of card and can be recycled with paper and cardboard. Based on the UK’s new recycling rules, you can put your Christmas cards in your dry-mix recycling bin. This is the one for your paper, card, glass, cans and plastics.
Should I put Christmas cards in the recycling or the bin?
You may be wondering, where can I recycle Christmas cards? Can you put Christmas cards in the recycling bin? It’s important to recycle Xmas cards as part of green and sustainable practices in the workplace and at home. This means that you can put Christmas Cards in the recycling bin, but not general or food waste bins.
Christmas cards are paper-based and therefore recyclable. You must, however, check a few things before putting your Christmas cards (and their envelopes) in your dry-mix recycle bin. Those with glitter, plastic, ribbon, batteries or other electronics cannot be recycled. If you can remove any of these elements, such as batteries, then the card can go into your dry-mix recycle bin.
Also, handle the recycling of wrapping paper while you are busy with Christmas card recycling. Remember to check out your local recycling points if you do not have the necessary facilities at home or work.
Christmas card recycling ideas
Before putting your Christmas cards in the recycling bin, consider how you can repurpose and reuse them – especially if you are not sure whether a card can be recycled or not. There are lots of unique paper recycling ideas that will add a bespoke touch to your decorations and presents.
Create gift tags
Your old Christmas cards are ideal for custom-made gift tags. Just cut out the pictures and bits you want (in the shapes you want) and attach them to your gifts. You can use either sticky tape or thread some ribbon through a punched hole.
Get crafty with paper ornaments
Christmas crafts are one of the all-time favourite family pastimes during the festive season. Use your old Xmas cards to make decorative paper chains. Or, mix and match beautiful Christmas cards (or snippets of them) and create a collage. Christmas card ornaments look stunning and unique on your tree. All you need is a little imagination, crafty fingers, some glue and string.
Reuse them next year as new cards
Your Christmas cards are good for more than just one year. Use your old ones to tailor-make new Christmas cards featuring your unique signature. Cut out features and pictures, paste them onto blank paper and card, and surprise people with a custom message.
How Christmas cards are recycled once you dispose of them
The recycling and transformation of Christmas cards is a multi-step process that starts with you. It is your responsibility to place Christmas cards in the correct recycling receptacle for collection by your recycling partner or local authority. To find out where you can recycle Christmas cards, look at your council’s guidelines or contact recycling professionals such as the Shredall SDS Group. From there, these cards go through the stages of paper recycling before becoming something new and usable.
- Collection and sorting: A recycling company or your local government collects your dry recyclables. These are then sorted, and paper and card are segregated from items such as glass and metal cans.
- Shredding and pulping: First, the Christmas cards are shredded into tiny pieces before being pulped in tanks containing water and chemicals, which break down the fibres.
- Cleaning and screening: The pulp goes through cleaning and screening processes to remove debris and metals, such as staples.
- Papermaking: During this step, the pulp is rolled and compressed into paper.
- Drying: Heated rollers reduce the paper’s water content and make it smoother.
- Finishing: The paper is quality tested before the sheets and rolls are sent off and used for various new paper products.
This process may be slightly different depending on the recycling plant and the different types of Christmas cards.
Facts on Xmas card waste every year
On average, eight billion Christmas cards change hands in the UK every year, making it a significant economic driver. Sadly, it also contributes to our current climate crisis.
One tree delivers roughly 3,000 Christmas cards, meaning that nearly 27 million trees are used annually. We must also factor in the water, soil and energy needed to grow these trees. When we recycle Xmas cards, we not only counter climate change but also conserve precious resources.
Experts estimate that we discard approximately 30,000 tons of cards after the festivities are over. This staggering amount of Christmas card waste can be translated to almost £3m in landfill value, where most end up decomposing and create greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
Let’s have a greener holiday season
Christmas cards and wrapping paper are integral parts of our festive tradition. When we do not repurpose or recycle our cards and paper, they sadly contribute to our environmental dilemma. Add some climate-friendly cheer this holiday season by making a conscious effort to reuse and recycle your Christmas cards and wrapping paper.
Get creative with crafted decorations or use old cards to make new ones. Remember, scraps of paper and old cards belong in your recycling bin. The Shredall SDS Group is your responsible recycling partner for all paper-based waste with specialised paper recycling services. Find out how we can reduce your Christmas card and wrapping paper waste by getting in touch today.
