Can I recycle ... Christmas packaging and decorations?
We look at the wave of holiday-related waste that rolls into our homes this time of year.
Can I recycle ...
Christmas packaging and decorations?
In this special edition of our weekly recycling feature, we look at the wave of holiday-related waste that rolls into our homes this time of year. In L.A., 13.5% more recyclables are generated in December. Which items can be recycled, and which must go in the trash? The sampling presented here is meant to give some sense of how policies vary from city to city. A plain checkmark (✓) means the city can recycle the item. For past installments of Can I recycle, visit www.latimes.com/recycling.
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Arcadia
Burbank
Glendale
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Manhattan Beach
Redondo Beach
Riverside
Santa Ana Irvine
Santa Barbara
Santa Monica
Torrance
Unincorporated L.A.
Ventura
Gift wrap
Paper
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
Cellophane
✓
No
✓
No
✓
No
No
No
No
✓
No
No
No
No
Tissue paper
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
Plastic bubbles
✓
No
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
No
No
✓
No
✓***
✓
No
Metalized Mylar
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Foil (clean of food)
✓
✓
✓
No
No
✓
No
No
✓
No
✓
✓
✓
✓
Fabric
✓
No
✓
No
No
No
No
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
Gift bags
Paper
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Card stock
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Plastic
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
✓
✓
✓
No
✓***
✓
No
Foil laminated
✓
No
No
No
No
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
✓
No
Fabric
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
Toy packaging
Card stock
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Hard plastic
✓
✓
✓
No
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
✓***
✓
✓
Twist ties
✓
No
✓
No
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
✓
✓
No
Zip ties
✓
No
✓
No
✓
✓
No
No
No
No
No
✓
✓
No
Plastic clamshell
✓
No
✓**
✓
✓**
✓
No
✓
✓**
✓**
✓**
✓***
✓
✓**
Christmas trees
NaturalRemove tree stands and ornaments for green waste bin or curbside pick-up. Some cities want trees cut smaller. Check with your city for details and dates.
Artificial PVC tree
No
No
✓
No
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Pre-lit artificial tree
No
✓*
✓*
No
✓*
No
No
No
No
✓*
No
No
No
No
Tree decorations
Ornaments
No
No
No
No
No
Varies
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Tinsel
✓
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Christmas lights
✓*
✓*
✓
No
✓*
No
No
No
✓*
✓*
No
✓*
No
No
Christmas cards
Card stock
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Photo cards
✓
No
✓
✓
✓
✓
No
No
✓
No
✓
No
✓
No
Musical cards
No
✓*
✓**
✓**
✓**
✓**
No
No
✓*
✓**
✓**
✓*
No
No
*Residents must take item to an E-waste center **For clamshell, plastic must be separated from cardboard; for musical cards, paper can be recycled, but electronic component must be separated out and taken to E-waste center ***Must have recycling triangle symbol Notes: In Los Angeles, Scotch tape must be removed from gift wrap before being recycled. Sources: Cities listed. Reporting by Susan Carpenter.
