Scrunch time Plea over festive wrapping paper

HOUSEHOLDERS have been warned not to try to recycle fancy gift wrap paper this Christmas – because it’s too sparkly.

North Somerset Council says it will not accept wrapping paper from gifts in its doorstep recycling containers after the festive season.

Authority bosses say paper which has foil patterns and glitter on it could end up contaminating other recycling.

Consumers in the UK use 227,000 miles of wrapping paper each year – with more than 83,000 square metres ending up in bins.

The average household uses four rolls of wrapping paper each season wrapping festive goodies.

Christmas cards with any glitter or foil should also not be put out for recycling.

Before recycling, people should remove any sticky tape and decorations such as ribbons and bows, which cannot be recycled. Wrapping paper can only be recycled if it passes the “scrunch test” – simple paper wrap can be recycled but foil or glitter-decorated paper cannot and needs to go in the general waste.

A council spokesman said: “Wrapping paper is difficult to recycle because there are so many varieties and it is often mixed with unrecyclable items such as foil, glitter, ribbon and tape.

“If the amount of incorrect material is too high, the whole load will be rejected by the paper mill and sent back.

“It is then likely to be disposed of as general waste, resulting in high costs and transport emissions.”

People are instead being asked to reuse their wrapping paper or put it in the black bin with the household rubbish.

Residents are also being encouraged to use other wrapping options such as cardboard boxes, gift bags, baskets or fabric, all of which can be reused or recycled. Small extra amounts of cardboard recycling will be collected post Christmas as long as it is flattened to the side of the recycling box and placed alongside it.

The change comes at the same time as the council was forced to reduce its green waste collections from fortnightly to monthly due to a lack of crews.

The council has, like other industries, been struggling to recruit enough HGV drivers to work on the rounds.

It has also suffered staff sickness due to Covid and people isolating.

People are also being reminded to make use of the authority’s three recycling centres in Weston-super-Mare, Backwell and Portishead, which will be open over the festive season.