By selling or giving away unwanted items, purchasing items with less packaging and fewer individually wrapped items, and planning meals to reduce waste and recycling, we can divert more waste from our Landfill and grow a greener Saskatoon.
Not sure if your used wrapping and packaging can be recycled? Here are some recycling tips for the holiday season:
- Gift and wrapping paper (except aluminum or shiny paper) can be recycled in your blue cart. There is no need to remove staples or tape.
- Clean tin foil, foil containers and metal cookie containers are recyclable.
- Unwanted electronics can be dropped off without charge at any SARCAN depot. Visit sarcan.ca for information.
- Flatten boxes and packaging before tossing them into your blue cart and you’ll have more space for other recyclables.
- Give milk (and egg nog) containers a quick rinse, flatten them and they’ll be ready to recycle.
- Have a look on the bottom of your plastic containers. If there’s a number between 1 and 7, rinse it and pop it into your recycling.
The following holiday items are not accepted in blue recycle carts or bins: shiny or foil wrapping paper, ribbon, plasticized gift bags, Styrofoam, toys, Christmas trees (natural or artificial), Christmas lights, ornaments or decorations. Check www.Saskatoon.ca/christmastree for drop-off locations for natural Christmas Trees. Artificial trees can be sold or donated for re-use, or taken to the Landfill for disposal.
There are new collection days for blue recycling carts and black garbage carts beginning in January 2016. All neighbourhoods will have their first pick-up between January 4 and 14. Depending on when your cart was last emptied, neighbourhoods can have from 2 to 20 days between collections during this transition period.
To help manage space in your carts:
- For recycling, ensure cardboard boxes and milk jugs are flattened. Excess recycling can be dropped at one of the City’s Recycling Depots (Lawson Heights, Lakewood, University Heights, Meadowgreen), Loraas Recycle Recycling Depot or Cosmopolitan Industries Recycling Depot.
- For garbage, residents are encouraged to place carts out for collection during the weekly holiday season garbage pickup from December 21-30.
Please make sure your cart lid is fully closed and your cart is out by 7:00 am on collection day.
Visit www.saskatoon.ca/collectioncalendar to set up a handy reminder service for black cart and blue cart collections.
For more information about recycling and waste handling, visit www.saskatoon.ca/recycle.
For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook