All that glitters is not to go into recycling

The announcement follows the news that Jersey will not be recycling any Christmas wrapping paper this year, as it was too contaminated with sticky tape, glitter and foil.

Guernsey Waste recycling officer Tina Norman Ross said Jersey was not alone in its decision.

‘Not all Christmas wrapping can be recycled, so some UK councils have decided not to accept any as part of their collections,’ she said.

‘Their concern is a high level of contamination by non-recyclable material, such as glitter and foil, can lead to their paper being rejected for recycling by the processor.

‘However one of our key messages around Christmas has always been what can and can’t be recycled. Islanders are fantastic and provided they keep doing the right thing we should be able to keep collecting it.’

Christmas wrapping made of paper, including brown and craft paper, can go into clear kerbside recycling bag.

If people are making their own wrapping paper, they should keep decorations to a minimum.

Ink, for example, from rubber stamps is fine, but thick paint is an issue as it can make the paper unrecyclable.

Paper that has glitter on or is made of plastic or metal foil cannot be recycled.

Before recycling, islanders should remove as much sticky tape as possible, as this is made of plastic and cannot be recycled. They should also remove any decorations, such as ribbons and bows. Those can be reused, but they cannot be recycled.

Guernsey’s waste strategy encourages islanders ideally to reduce what they use. If that is not possible then people should try and reuse it. Only then should islanders consider recycling it.

‘If you unwrap your presents carefully, you can keep the wrapping and put it away with your Christmas decorations ready to use next year,’ Mrs Norman-Ross said.

. Some collection days have changed this week, gov.gg/mybinnight for details.