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Still have recycling questions?

We have more answers. The following short videos offer hands-on demonstrations to help with some of your toughest holiday recycling questions.


Click on each photo or section heading to open the video clip.

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Wrap it and pack it, Eco-Style

While we’ll be accepting wrapping paper for a limited time (see Holiday Guide, p. 2), 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).
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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 cords are recyclable with scrap metal at the Longmont and Boulder Drop-off Centers as well as at the CHaRM. Lights must be removed and are not recyclable. Please bundle the cords and tie them with the loose end so the string does not get caught in the recycling machinery.

 



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 and Superior) accept corrugated cardboard. Corrugated cardboard is also accepted in the city of Boulder curbside single-stream recycling program as well as some collection programs from private haulers.


More Holiday Recycling Demonstration Videos

  • Kraft and Tyvek Envelopes
  • White block foam
  • Paper shopping bags
  • Wrapping paper recycling