Officials issue holiday waste reminders, tips for proper disposal
Since Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on weekends this year, there won't be any changes to regular curbside garbage collection.
It will take place as usual from Monday to Friday, starting at 7 a.m.
The region's real Christmas tree collection runs the first two weeks of January on regular garbage days. Residents are reminded to take off any lights, decorations, or stands ahead of time — and don't put the tree in a bag or in plastic wrap.
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“The Christmas trees that are collected are added to the yard waste and turned into compost. Plastic is not compostable so please keep the tree as natural as possible for collection,” said Waste Coordinator, Kathleen Barsoum.
If you have any broken Christmas tree lights, Barsoum said place them in the garbage.
Gift boxes, gift bags, and wrapping paper are all recyclable as long as they're not metallic and you remove any bows or ribbons.
“Fold it all down, put it all into a bag and put it into the paper-only blue box. The reason we're asking people to fold down the wrapping paper and put it into a grocery-sized bag is because of the wind.”
Barsoum said they also see a lot of wooden orange crates in the blue box this time of year, but noted those are not recyclable and need to go in the garbage.
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If you come across any reindeer droppings on your roof or property after Christmas, Barsoum said those can be placed in compostable or paper bags and put in the green bin. This also applies to your dog's waste.
With COVID-19 spreading, Barsoum said residents also have to take precautions to help protect collection workers.
That includes putting all garbage in secure bags that are tied shut, ensuring there's no loose food waste in your green bin that collectors may be exposed to, and putting any used masks, gloves, or wipes into the garbage instead of the blue box or green bin.
A reminder, you can always check the region's Waste Whiz tool to determine how to properly dispose of any items.
You can find the link by clicking here.
