Householders in Powys are being urged by the county council to recycle as much as they can over the festive season.

Powys County Council’s Waste and Recycling Team wants people to stop and think before binning their waste and has produced some top tips to help out.

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Waste and Recycling, said: “With so much happening at Christmas, you might be tempted to throw all of your waste in the rubbish bin but please don’t!

“We want households to take a breath and consider how they can maximise their recycling efforts. You’ll be amazed at how much of your waste can be recycled – from tin foil, food, glass jars and bottles to real Christmas trees, plain Christmas cards, plain wrapping paper, batteries, plastic bottles and more.

“If householders recycle everything that they can by either using their recycling boxes and food caddy or visiting their nearest household waste recycling centre, they will reduce the amount of waste that would be sent to landfill. By doing this, not only are householders helping us meet Welsh Government recycling targets but they are also helping our environment.”

The Waste and Recycling Team has produced some top tips to help households recycle as much as they can over Christmas:

Paper and card

• Christmas cards, wrapping paper and paper that don’t have glitter on are recyclable (glitter causes issues in the recycling process as it can’t be removed). Remember to tear off any glitter sections or non-paper items like badges or batteries off your Christmas cards before recycling your Christmas cards. Any wrapping paper or paper with glitter on should go in your black wheeled bin.

• With wrapping paper and gift bags there is the super handy scrunch test: if you scrunch it and it doesn’t spring back, then it can be recycled – sorted!

• Remember to take of any sellotape, bows and ribbons off your wrapping paper before you recycle it.

• Cardboard packaging, including that from online shopping, can be recycled. Simply flatten to save space and remove any plastic or polystyrene. If possible don’t leave it out in the rain– if cardboard is wet then mould sets in meaning it can’t be recycled

• Toilet roll tubes often get forgotten but it’s easy and worthwhile to recycle them

• If you’re not sure if something is made of paper or cardboard and is recyclable – then it probably isn’t

Food waste

• Your kitchen caddy can be used for all your food waste over Christmas including turkey bones, potato peelings, egg shells and tea bags

• If you have any leftover turkey, why not make some sandwiches or even a soup with it for your tea?

Glass

The busy festive period leads to a giant 13,350 tonnes of glass bottles being chucked out! So remember, if you have any glass bottles, including the empty cranberry sauce or mincemeat jars, put them out for recycling

Cans and plastics

Clean food and drink cans, aluminium foil, clean plastic bottles (rinsed, squashed, lids removed), aerosol cans, clean plastic food trays and clean pot and tubs can all be recycled.

Remember, soft plastics including cling film, carrier bags, bubble wrap and plastic magazine wrappers need to be placed in your black wheeled bin.

Real Christmas trees

When the festive season draws to an end, around 250 tonnes of real trees are thrown out when in fact they can be recycled if you take them to your nearest household waste recycling centre (but remove any decorations including tinsel and baubles please). Please check what days and time your nearest site is open by visiting www.powys.gov.uk.

Remember, householders who will want to use commercial vehicles to take their Christmas domestic waste and recycling to the centres will need to apply for commercial vehicle and trailer (CVT) permits from the council and can do so by visiting www.powys.gov.uk/recycle.

To find out how to recycle more at home this Christmas visit www.powys.gov.uk/recycle or www.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk