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The Holidays bring more of everything and the Solid Waste Management Department reminds San Antonio residents of these tips for recycling right.
These Holiday-related items can be recycled in the blue cart:
- Seasonal mail such as catalogs, flyers, coupons, and promotional postcards.
- Cardboard boxes from online orders. Please flatten them out and do not overstuff the cart. Extra-large cardboard from appliances or televisions can be taken to Bulky Drop-Off Centers.
- Entertaining will create more food packaging such as metal cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles and jugs and boxes of dry goods. Please make sure they go in the blue cart loose, never bagged, and also clean.
Holiday-related items that are not recyclable in the blue cart and should go in the brown trash cart include:
- Styrofoam packing, packing peanuts, cushion air pouches and delivery envelopes with bubble wrap.
- Wrapping paper and seasonal cards with foil or glitter.
- Items that can tangle such as ribbon or cords.
- Glass ornaments and hard plastics, for example toys or decorations.
- Clothing is not recyclable through the blue cart. However, the SWMD recommends donating textiles that are still in good condition.
Seasonal items accepted in the green organics cart:
- Small live Christmas trees can be cut up and placed in the green organics cart as long as the lid can close. Larger live trees are accepted at Brush Recycling Centers.
- Flowers and decorative plants only if the plastic or metal container is removed and excess soil or rock is shaken off.
- Food and table scraps peels, rinds, husks, nuts, cores, trimmings, baked goods, shells and cobs.
- Food-soiled paper including pizza boxes, coffee filters, tea bags and paper to-go food packaging. Never place glass, metal or plastic in the green cart.
Unaccepted green cart items:
- Live wreaths and garlands that are held together with florist wire.
- Excessive bones from meats such as ribs and chops.
- Anything that is plastic, metal or glass. The Organics program is designed to make compost.
Items to take only to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-Off Centers:
- Electronics are usually popular gifts. Batteries can be very dangerous when crushed or punctured. All batteries, Coin Cell, Lead-Acid, Ni-Cd, Ni-Mh, LiPo, Ion, Lithium and alkaline batteries can cause fires. They do not go into any of the carts and must go to HHW.
- Other seasonal items for HHW include strands of electric lights, electric toys and machines, printer cartridges, cooking oil, paint, and chemicals. Fireworks are not accepted at any HHW location.
The Solid Waste Department hopes you and your family enjoy the Holidays while keeping San Antonio sustainable. For complete information on accepted and non-accepted items and drop off locations, visit www.sarecycles.org