Households across the UK are being urged to perform a crucial ten-second check this Christmas Day to prevent their festive waste from contaminating recycling and ending up in landfill.
The Simple 'Scrunch Test' For Wrapping Paper
The warning follows a recent reminder on BBC's Morning Live, where lifestyle presenter Jacqui Joseph highlighted that not all festive wrapping is created equal. The key advice is to carry out a quick 'scrunch test' on every piece of discarded paper before tossing it into the recycling bin.
If you scrunch the paper into a ball and it stays scrunched, it is paper-based and can be recycled. However, if the paper springs back open, it contains plastic or foil and must go into your general waste.
Why This Christmas Check Is So Vital
The consequences of getting it wrong are significant. Placing non-recyclable wrapping paper or glittery cards in the recycling bin can spoil entire lorry-loads of otherwise good material. This means tonnes of carefully sorted recyclables may be rejected at processing plants and sent straight to landfill instead.
The main culprit is often glitter, which is a microplastic. It easily contaminates other materials and is notoriously difficult to contain, spreading with just a slight shake.
Gift Bags And Boxes Need Attention Too
The same careful approach applies to gift bags and boxes. While plain paper or thin cardboard versions can be recycled, you must first remove any added decorations like bows, ribbons, and tags.
Bags that are plastic-coated, foiled, or covered in glitter should be placed in your general rubbish. A sustainable alternative is to simply reuse them for future gifts, giving them a second life and keeping them out of the waste stream altogether.
For glittery greeting cards, a practical tip is to tear off and bin the decorated section before recycling the plain cardboard remainder.
With millions set to tear into presents on December 25, this simple pre-bin check is a small act that can have a major positive impact on the UK's recycling efforts this festive season.
