The holidays are upon us.
With the holidays comes excitement, gifts, and….waste! With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays this year, let try to keep in mind the best ways to dispose of our holiday waste here in Oklahoma City.
Let’s start with the biggest item… the tree!
How to Dispose of your Tree
You’ve taken off all the decoration and lights from your tree...now what? In Oklahoma City, you can set out your tree for collection on one of your scheduled trash collection days in the weeks following Christmas.
In May, you can pick up free mulch made from your tree as well!
Click here for more information on OKC’s curbside Christmas Tree Collection.
What About my Artificial Tree?
We recommend donating your artificial tree so that someone else can enjoy it next year. Consider donating your tree to a nearby Goodwill.
You can also repurpose your artificial tree by making things like napkin rings and wreaths. Read more here for repurposing ideas.
What’s the deal with boxes?
If you’re giving or receiving gifts in a cardboard box, they can be recycled! Simply make sure to flatten and cut pieces of no larger than 2 feet by 2 feet. Only broken down boxes inside the cart will be collected for recycling. For more info see here.
Next up...Lights!
Christmas lights are not recyclable. Christmas lights will need to be disposed of in your blue cart. Click here for the full list of decorations that must be disposed of.
Wrapping Paper: What’s the Deal?
This year think of alternatives to garbage to build new traditions that have the environment in mind.
Regular wrapping paper will not be accepted as a recyclable in Oklahoma City this holiday season.
Please recycle paper gift bags and tissue paper. For a full guide on what materials Oklahoma City accepts for recycling click here.
Let’s all make the effort this holiday season to produce less waste! See here for some tips and tricks on how you can help reduce waste this season!