Christmas Recycling

The sustainable way to wrap up Christmas 

Are you wondering what to do with your real or artificial Christmas tree? Do you have decorations or unwanted gifts to donate? Pauline McDonogh of MyWaste shares her top tips for disposing of seasonal waste sustainably this January. 

Real Christmas trees 

If you are lucky enough to have a “living” tree in a pot that you bring indoors for the festive period, then make sure to top up the compost in the pot when you take it back outdoors. After its stint inside, the tree will be much drier than it’s used to, so give it a good water too! 

If you have a “real” Christmas tree on a stand, then your local authority can help you dispose of it. All local authorities accept fir trees, converting them to bark chips for use on public roundabouts and in parks. Remember, these services are only available for a short period in early January, so check your local authority’s website for more details. 

As tempted as you may be to chop up your tree and put it in your brown bin, please don’t! The brown bin service is for light garden waste – a few small branches and pine needles are acceptable but nothing heavy please.  

Artificial Christmas trees 

If you have an artificial tree that you are starting to tire of, don’t dispose of it straightaway. Put it away until next season and then look at it again with fresh eyes. With a bit of imagination and a spruce up, can you still love it? Every time we find a way to keep our things in use, we’re preventing waste at the top of the waste hierarchy. In Ireland our capacity to manage waste is limited so every item saved from landfill or disposal at a waste-to-energy plant is a bonus. 

However, if the time has come to say goodbye to your existing tree, then do your research and ask advice at your local civic amenity site first. Artificial Christmas trees are normally made from composites of different plastics so they are tricky to recycle and not all sites will accept them. This Christmas, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and South Dublin County Council are piloting a project with Balsam Hill, facilitating the recycling of broken or unwanted artificial trees in Ballyogan Recycling Centre and Ballymount Civic Amenity. You’ll find their locations here. 

Remember, if your tree is “pre-lit” and has lights attached, it is classed as a waste electrical item and can be deposited for recycling at Civic Amenity Sites or retail take-back. Find your local amenity here. 

Batteries 

With battery operated lights and toys in abundance, there will be plenty of batteries to recycle after the festivities. These can be recycled at any retail outlet that sells batteries, regardless of where you bought them. Look out for the blue battery boxes which are normally located near the tills. 

Donating to charity 

At this time of the year, charity shops are inundated with donations. Unwanted Christmas gifts, such as unopened beauty products, unused candles, and other saleable goods are very welcome.  

However, if you have decorations, Christmas jumpers, novelty socks, festive pyjamas, or even artificial trees to donate, can you hold onto these until next November? Nobody wants to buy these items in January and, with space limited in many charity shops, donating in season is very helpful for both shoppers and the charities. 

Pauline McDonogh is Circular Economy Coordinator with the Southern Region Waste Management Office. For more information about managing your seasonal waste, please visit mywaste.ie.