Bin man's urgent warning over Christmas cards, wrapping paper and gift bags

After Christmas, refuse collectors are hard at work clearing the seasonal surge of waste, from wrapping paper and cardboard to food remnants. Yet, it seems our efforts to recycle festive materials might be inadvertently making their jobs more difficult.

A bin man has shared a vital warning for the holiday period, calling on everyone to contribute to do our bit for the environment and help waste management operations. While recycling festive paper, cards, and gift bags appears eco-conscious, it's not always feasible, which can lead to problems in the sorting process.

Danny, a bin man using St Helens Borough Council's TikTok platform, issued a word of warning: "Wait. Do you know what goes in what bin over the festive period? Wrapping paper, gift bags and Christmas cards CANNOT go in your green or blue recycling bags here in St Helens borough.

"Most contain foil, plastic, glitter and glue - so please pop them into your brown general waste bin!" He also pointed out in the comments that council policies vary, urging people to check with their local authorities.

Danny explained the recycling issue, stating: "It's the glitter and foil on them. If it's just plain old brown paper then that's fine. Each council is different though - it's just how it works here in St Helens so best to check with your council."

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According to Recycle Now, paper-based greeting cards and envelopes can be recycled at home or at designated recycling points. However, certain parts of greeting cards can't be recycled. For example:

The information for recycling wrapping paper and greeting cards on the Manchester Council website echoes the advice from Danny and Recycle Now.

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