Prepping trees for recycling

Before they can be placed in the lake, each tree must be stripped of all lights and ornaments. Wire-frame wreaths, debris and other household garbage, along with fake trees, should never be placed in the lakes.

South Carolina previously had additional locations available for Christmas tree recycling, but in recent years, they’ve begun to rely on plastic fish attractors that have to be replaced less frequently, a spokesperson for the state Department of Natural Resources said.

Waste can increase overall during the holiday – between Thanksgiving and the start of the New Year, the amount of garbage in the average American household increases by about 25%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

In South Carolina, residents are encouraged to recycle when possible, but also to avoid contaminating recyclable items with things that cannot be recycled.

According to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, residents should avoid including items from the “holiday dirty half-dozen” in their recycling to prevent contamination. These items include:

• strings of lights

• textured wrapping paper (such as gloss or glitter)

• bows, ribbons and twine

• Styrofoam objects and packing peanuts

• plastic bags

• tissue paper

Each public recycling location has different rules and accepts different items. To learn more about your local recycling drop-site’s hours and what items can be recycled, visit The Greenville News’ Upstate Recycling Guide here, or search by county here.

Sarah Swetlik covers climate change and environmental issues in South Carolina’s Upstate for The Greenville News. Reach her at sswetlik@gannett.com or on X at @sarahgswetlik.