City of Oklahoma City reminds you what’s naughty and what’s nice for your holiday recycling

12/17/2021

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The December holiday season marks a time for parties, poinsettias and presents under the tree. Instead of tossing it all in your Big Blue trash cart, try recycling instead. Here’s a list from the City of Oklahoma City that shows what’s naughty and what’s nice for our recycling stream.

NICE

Each of these items can be recycled as part of the City’s recycling program. Put them loose in your Big Green recycling cart, and make sure you empty and clean any item that has had food or liquid. Do not put items for recycling in plastic bags, and do not put plastic bags in your recycle cart.

• Plain paper holiday cards
• Cardboard boxes and wrapping paper tubes
• Plain, brown wrapping paper and plain paper gift bags
• Glass bottles and jars (empty, clean, and dry)
• Aluminum foil products, steel fruit and vegetable cans (empty, clean, and dry)
• Plastic drink bottles (empty)

NAUGHTY

These items are not accepted in the City’s recycling program. Instead, toss them in your Big Blue trash cart, or compost them, if appropriate.

• Wrapping paper, crepe paper and gift bags
• Christmas lights, tinsel, ribbons, and bows: These “tanglers” get caught in our equipment and delay production. Toss them in your Big Blue, or re-use ribbons and bows another year.
• Plastic bags and wrap, including bubble wrap, cling wrap and shipping packaging
• Paper plates, cups, and napkins
• Plastic cutlery
• Shipping peanuts and protective foam
• Stockings, tree skirts, that ugly Christmas sweater, or any other clothing, sheets or blankets
• Christmas trees – real or artificial – Put your Christmas trees out for monthly bulky waste collection or call the Oklahoma City Parks & Recreation Department at (405) 297-3882 to ask about their mulching program.
• Wreaths and greens – Compost your greenery and wreaths, or bag them and put them in your Big Blue trash cart.

Visit okc.gov/recycle for more details.

We know who belongs in the neighborhood, so lets watch our for each other.

I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember…..