A Very Merry Trash Talk: Recycling During the Holidays

Published on December 22, 2025

Written By: Savannah Bunch, Environmental Program Coordinator

’Twas the week after Christmas, when all through the City,

Wrapping lay everywhere, and carts look real sketchy.

In the post-holiday chaos of unwrapping, tossing, and cleaning, it’s easy to forget what belongs in the recycling cart and what should head straight for the trash. This season, let’s unwrap a few recycling tricks that will keep your bin off the naughty list.

Forget the Recycling Symbol

That little triangle of arrows might look official, but it’s not a golden ticket into Dunedin’s recycling program. The recycling symbol isn’t regulated, which means manufacturers can put it on just about anything, even items that were never destined for recycling.

Translation: if it’s not on the sticker on your cart, it doesn’t belong there. Keep it basic and save the wishful thinking for New Year’s resolutions!

Family Fun: Try counting how many incorrect symbols you see this holiday season!

Wrapping Paper: Pass the Tear Test

Not all wrapping paper is created equal. Some of it is more naughty than nice.

Here’s the holiday hack:
• Tears easily? Probably recyclable.
• Won’t tear? Trash it.

Shiny, metallic, glittery, or foil-lined paper may look festive, but it’s coated with plastic and can’t be recycled. Think of it as Cousin Eddie’s RV, memorable but absolutely not something the system was built to handle.

Plastics: Keep It Simple

Holiday plastics can get out of hand fast, toys, packaging, bows, and mystery bits galore. But when it comes to recycling, less is more.

Stick to plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs only. No toys. No plastic bows. No decorative extras. To the recycling system, those tiny plastics don’t look festive. They look like coal.

Fun fact: small plastics are especially problematic because they slip through sorting equipment and jam machinery, slowing down the entire facility.

Batteries: Don’t Be a Grinch

New gadgets and toys are great. Battery fires are not.

Rechargeable batteries never go in the recycling or trash. They must be taken to a hazardous waste drop-off, just like we talked about in our battery blog.

Single-use batteries can go in the trash, but rechargeable ones need special handling to prevent fires, both in trucks and at recycling facilities.

Aluminum Cans: Our Shining Star

If you’re going to make one recycling choice right this season, make it aluminum cans.

According to The Aluminum Association, recycling aluminum uses about 95% less energy than producing new aluminum from raw materials, making it one of the most powerful things you can put in your recycling cart. That energy savings sticks around too. Aluminum can be recycled over and over without losing quality.

So whether it’s creamed corn, cranberry sauce, or a holiday beverage, those cans deserve a rinse, a crush, and a front-row seat in your recycling bin.

Naughty & Nice Recycling List

Naughty (Don’t Recycle)
The Who’s Feast leftovers (yes, even the Roast Beast bones)
Christmas lights (Clark Griswold would understand)
Old toy packaging
Broken ornaments
Shiny wrapping paper
Bows and ribbons

Nice (Do Recycle)
Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs
Food glass (bottles and jars)
Clean, dry cardboard
Non-glossy paper (pass the tear test!)
Aluminum cans (energy champs)

This season, keep your recycling on the nice list by sticking to the basics and leaving the shiny, sketchy stuff behind. Your recycling bin and the people who handle it will thank you.