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December 5, 2024
During the holidays, Edmonton households produce nearly double the amount of waste compared to the rest of the year. With this shopping-heavy season upon us, now is a good time to start thinking about how to minimize the amount of holiday waste that is created.
There are a number of easy changes Edmontonians can make this holiday season to reduce waste. Here is some helpful advice on reducing waste while enjoying the holidays with family and friends.
Tips for holiday waste reduction:
- Visit the Waste-Less Holiday Market at the Reuse Centre on Saturday, December 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for locally made gifts created from reused materials (with minimal amounts of packaging).
- Online shopping produces more waste because of the packaging and shipping involved. Help cut back this holiday season by buying locally sourced items.
- Non-traditional gifts—such as event tickets, a new streaming subscription or an online donation—mean that you can skip non-recyclable items like gift bags, bubble wrap, ribbons and tape. (Bonus tip: Use WasteWise, through the app or online, to find out how three of those items can be donated to the Reuse Centre).
- Mindful meal planning helps avoid food waste. Plan menus in advance to reduce excessive leftovers, use everyday cutlery and dining ware instead of disposables, and consider donating any unopened treats and pantry staples to a food bank.
Properly sorting waste is just as important as reducing waste. Sorting helps keep waste out of the landfill, keeps staff safe, and helps ensure operations run efficiently.
While many kinds of gift wraps and boxes can be recycled, other items, such as batteries and broken Christmas lights, need to go to the Eco Station for safe disposal. Putting these items in the garbage can be dangerous for workers who sort waste and may cause equipment to break down.
Tips for proper sorting:
- Use the WasteWise app to find out what goes where. Find the app on edmonton.ca/WasteWise or download it for free from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
- Follow the special instructions in WasteWise to safely dispose of batteries, broken string lights and other hazardous materials. (Bonus tip: Batteries come in all shapes and sizes—from your everyday AAAs and used electronics—to unexpected and forgotten batteries, like those found in musical greeting cards, vape pens and any rechargeable electronic device).
- Download and save a What Goes Where (WGW) poster for easy reference when cleaning up. Both a curbside WGW poster and an apartment and condo WGW poster are available.
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