The 12 Days of Recycling - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

The 12 Days of Recycling

Before you throw out the boxes that your Christmas gifts came in, consider recycling them. Pretty Christmas packaging and boxes could become a pile of trash after the holiday is over.

In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency reports people toss a million tons more trash in the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year, most of that Styrofoam and cardboard packaging.

"there's a better way to do this...I'm a recycler....we can do better," says Barbara Vanhankin. She is part of a recycling group in Oklahoma, "Tulsa Master Recyclers" They've partnered with several other environmental agencies in an effort to cut down on the waste headed to the landfills.

"It's the right thing to do and what better time to do the right thing," says Harley Hollan.

For the 12 days after Christmas they are collecting Styrofoam and cardboard.

"We'd like to have the boxes flattened with the wrapping paper taken off and the Styrofoam put in plastic bags and tie the bags up."

 Most wrapping paper and ribbon on the other hand is not recyclable if it is dyed or laminated or contains non-paper additives like glitter and plastics.

Instead of throw it away you should re-use it for crafts, or for next years wrapping, and look for recyclable paper for next year.