Be Green, But Not a Grinch: Recycle Holiday Paper Products

Don’t be a Grinch about recycling this Holiday Season! Remember to fill your recycle bin, before your garbage bin, after the presents have been opened and the clean-up of littered gift boxes and discarded wrapping paper begins. Make it a Sustainable Christmas as your discarded Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and packaging are recycled and renewed.
Here a few things to remember this Holiday Season when it comes to recycling:
Wrapping Paper
- Regular and glossy wrapping paper is recyclable unless it has non-paper additives like metallic flakes, colored shapes, glitter, and plastics. Foil, metallic and heavily laminated wrapping paper should also be thrown away instead of recycled. Please do not recycle foil, plastic coating, ribbon, bows and glitter.
Christmas Cards
- Stamps from the Post Office are biodegradable, you do not need to remove them before placing them in the recycle bin.
- Make sure to cut off the front of the card if it is shiny or foil coated, has glitter, ribbons or felt- these items should be thrown away as they are not recyclable. The back of the card, however, can be recycled.
- If you received a card that plays music, the card can be recycled if you remove the battery pack. You can keep the batteries on hand for yourself in case they fit another household item you might have.
- Have a lot of a cards that you had to cut off the front cover from? Save the fronts that can’t be recycled at a waste management facility and send them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. St. Jude’s uses the cards to craft into something new.
Gift or Shipping Boxes (Corrugated Packaging)
- Ensure all packing materials (styrofoam, packing peanuts, etc.) are removed from the box.
- Break down (flatten) your box.
- Ensure that the box is dry and clean. If it was to get rained on once in the recycling bin, it can get recycled once dry.
- Tape and labels do not have to be removed, these are removed during the recycling process.
- Damaged corrugated can be recycled.
And these recycling practices do not need to end after the Holiday Season is over, they can be implemented all year long. By doing so, you become an integral part in maintaining the circular economy. Remember, one box can be recycled approximately 5-7 times!
About Rusken: Rusken is a dynamic, modern integrated packaging company with locations throughout the Southeast United States. With fifteen (15) facilities in eight (8) states, Rusken is a forward-looking regional organization. Headquartered in Cullman, Alabama, Rusken has experienced exponential growth over the last decade. This success is driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, focus on family-based values and a commitment to a truly remarkable customer experience. From standard corrugated boxes to highly customized packaging solutions that require robust design-work, colorful printing and hand finishing, the good people behind the Rusken name are passionate about quality, delivery and customer smiles.