Our short recycling videos make it easy for you to recycle those holiday specific-items!
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> Wrap it and pack it, eco-style
> Choose Recyclable Holiday Cards & Envelopes
> How to Recycle Holiday Light Strings
> What is Corrugated Cardboard
> Recycling Paper Shopping Bags
Wrap it and pack it, Eco-Style
While we’ll be accepting wrapping paper for a limited time (see Holiday Recycling Guide), we encourage you not to use it as its high-clay and low-paper content makes it difficult to recycle. Instead, get creative and choose a reused/reusable alternative: comics, posters, maps, blueprints, calendars (all recyclable), fabric, cloth gift bags, bandanas, etc. If you’re shipping gifts, replace foam packaging or bubble wrap with plastic bags or glossy ads from newspapers (the ink doesn’t smear like newspaper).
Choose Recyclable Holiday Cards and Envelopes
To see if your dark-colored card or envelope is recyclable, rip the card or envelope (or flyer). If the dye goes all the way through, it is not recyclable. If you see white fibers along the ripped edge, it’s recyclable. For those that are not recyclable, toss them in your curbside compost bin (if you have one) or shred and place them in your backyard compost. Otherwise, please trash them. Also, make sure you remove any non-paper materials like aluminum foil, ribbons, glitter, etc. before recycling or composting.
How to Recycle Holiday Light Strings
Holiday light cords and extension cords are recyclable in Scrap Metal bins at the CHaRM in Boulder and at the Nederland Drop-off Center. They are also accepted at the Longmont Waste Diversion Center in a specially-marked cart.
Attached light bulbs are OK. Please bundle the cords and tie them with the loose end so the string does not get caught in the recycling machinery. There is no fee to recycle holiday lights.
What is corrugated cardboard?
Corrugated boxes can be recycled even if they have large staples or shiny graphics on them. All the Drop-off Centers throughout Boulder County (except Erie) accept corrugated cardboard. Corrugated cardboard is also accepted in curbside single-stream recycling programs.
What is #6 white block foam?
The CHaRM accepts #6 white block foam, the kind typically used to package computers, TVs, wine, etc.
NO
- Food-grade foam (to-go boxes, meat trays, disposable cups, etc.)
- Tape
- Bubble wrap (Bring to a mail service store for reuse, see “Peanuts.”)
- Any foam other than #6, or any color other than white
- Moisture
- Peanuts (Bring them to a mail service store for reuse. See our online A-Z Recycling Guide for locations.)
Recycling paper shopping bags
These bags are great for reuse or for use as a gift bag, but if they're too worn, they can be recycled with your corrugated cardboard (including white, colored, glossy or non-glossy bags). Remove all non-paper handles (string, etc.). Bags are recyclable at the curb in the city of Boulder.
"Kraft" and Tyvek envelopes
Kraft envelopes are not recyclable; however, they are great for reuse. Choose white or pastel envelopes instead.
Tyvek envelopes can be recycled through Tyvek's recycling program. From the upper right hand corner of this page, click on "Select the Hard-to-Recycle Material" and select Tyvek envelopes for more details.
Wrapping paper recycling
Accepted for recycling for a limited time only
Find dates and locations in our Holiday Recycling Guide
Please DO NOT put wrapping paper in with your curbside materials. This material will be accepted for one month only as it is a very low-grade material and normally considered a contaminant in the recycling bin because of its high clay and ink content and low fiber content. For this reason, we strongly urge the use of wrapping paper alternatives (see our 10 Ways to Green your Holidays). If you do receive wrapped gifts from friends and family this holiday season, we suggest you save and store ribbons, bows and wrapping paper and reuse them again next year before recycling.
