DNR offers tips to help reduce waste this holiday season
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources offered tips today to help families reduce waste this holiday season.
The Department explained how to safely and responsibly dispose of certain items.
Tissue paper, wrapping paper with foil or glitter, batteries, and electronics are not recyclable.
The DNR also reminds us that Christmas lights, which they call tanglers, should never be placed in the recycling cart.
"Operations can come to a grinding halt and workers literally need to go into the equipment and cut out these types of tanglers in order for the recycling equipment to operate properly," said Jennifer Semrau, Waste Reduction and Diversion Coordinator with the DNR.
The DNR says during the holidays, many communities, retailers, and scrap yards will collect holiday lights for recycling, so look out for those drop boxes.
Here is a list of what should go in the recycling bin, according to the DNR.
- Cardboard – Flatten boxes before putting them in carts or bins so that recycling equipment can handle them properly
- Newspaper
- Magazines
- Office paper
- Plastic #1 and #2 containers
- Aluminum cans
- Steel (tin) cans
- Glass bottles and jars
Here is a list of what should not go in the recycling bin, according to the DNR.
- Tissue paper
- Holiday light strings, cords and other "tanglers"
- Plastic bags, plastic film and wrap
- Batteries and electronics
For more information from the DNR, click here.