Sustainable snapshot

Some tips from Abbie Lane at the City of Casey this festive season on how to make sure you aren't contaminating the bins with Christmas craft. 

Wrapping paper: 

• Paper wrapping paper can go into the recycling bin (unless you're carefully unwrapping it for reuse later!), stickytape is ok (just remove any ribbons, bows etc - they go into the rubbish if you're not keeping them for another time). 
• Foil wrapping, clear plastic  wrap and tissue paper goes into the rubbish bin.

Boxes: 

• Cardboard is a bit more involved when it comes to toy packaging - if it's JUST cardboard, then into the recycling bin. But some toy packaging is plastic-lined cardboard (easiest way to tell is to try to rip it). 
• Plastic lined cardboard should go into the rubbish bin. 

Plastic toy packaging: 

- Formed plastic can go into your recycling bin ONLY if it has a triangle symbol numbered 1-5. Otherwise, into the rubbish bin.

- Twizzles, wires and strings used to hold toys in place need to go into the rubbish bin if they're not being reused.

Saving space in your bins: 

If you're trying to reduce the contents in your recycling bin by putting items inside each other, make sure they are the same - keep like with like. Paper/cardboard inside paper/cardboard is fine. Plastic, aluminium etc inside cardboard is not okay. Once the truck compacts the box of random assorted recycling, it's mashed together as a multi-material item, so no longer recyclable (you've made your own tetrapak and that is not recyclable!)