The gift-giving season is filled with cheerful boxes, festive wrapping, and twinkling trees—all bringing holiday joy! After the celebrations, many of these items will need a new home. We’d like to share a quick, friendly reminder about what belongs in your blue recycling carts and what does not.
Recyclable holiday items include the following:
- Cardboard boxes
- Wrapping paper (not shiny, without foil or glitter)
- Natural fiber gift wrap
- Paper gift bags (please remove ribbons, string, rope, or plastic handles)
You can recycle almost all your paper materials, as well as aluminum and steel cans, plastic bottles and containers with screw-on or snap-on lids, and glass bottles and jars. Let’s keep the season green together! When recycling boxes, remove any plastic film, bubble wrap, or packing peanuts. These are not recyclable. To make recycling even simpler, here are some items that should go in your black trash cart instead of the blue recycling cart:
- Foil, plastic, shiny, or glitter wrapping paper
- Styrofoam and bubble wrap
- Plastic bags, flexible film plastics, and tarps
- Plastic strapping
- Ribbons or bows
- Tinsel or ornaments
- Christmas lights, cords, wires
- Tree Skirts or stockings
- Blankets or clothing
- Ceramics
- Food-soiled containers
- Electronics, batteries
- Artificial or live trees
If you’re unsure whether something can be recycled, it’s best to toss it in the trash. Thanks for helping to keep our community clean!
Christmas Tree Disposal
In December and January, Broken Arrow residents can place live trees at the curb on collection day. Cut trees into four-foot sections to fit the trash trucks. Put artificial trees in the black trash cart.
