Wrap up holidays by cutting down on trash

Katie Curley

December 26, 2007 09:57 pm

— NEWBURYPORT — Now that neatly wrapped presents under the tree have been replaced by a cloud of colored paper, ribbons and bows, city Recycling Coordinator Molly Ettenborough is urging residents to keep “green ideas” in mind for disposing of all that holiday waste.
Estimates are that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day an extra million tons of waste is generated across the United States from packaging, wrapping, holiday lights and batteries, which hit the environment each year.
“Wrapping paper is the biggest waste-maker during the holidays,” Ettenborough said. “Recycle everything you can; paper is a big one. If it tears, it’s recyclable. Go through all the packaging, and if there is cardboard in a plastic container, pull it out, all cardboard toy encasings — just recycle everything you can.”
According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, 38,000 miles of ribbon is thrown in the trash each year — enough to tie a bow around the planet.
Statewide, Massachusetts residents throw away 1.5 million tons of paper a year, which has an estimated recycling value of $100 million that goes back into state coffers. In Newburyport, recycling paper and cardboard generates between $1,200 and $1,500 a month, which goes back into the city’s recycling program.
“We would love to see those numbers go up in Newburyport,” Ettenborough said.
For Northside Carting, the company that collects trash in the city, the holidays mean more trash to pick up and sometimes longer hours as staff competes with holiday traffic. Rosado said the main item trash collectors see is sheets of cardboard and boxes in addition to the usual bags of trash.
But for 2008, Ettenborough, who has seen some improvement in city recycling in the past year, is hoping for an even bigger increase.
“Overall the recycling rate has gotten better over the years, but in 2008 we’d love to get the numbers up and be able to provide more convenient drop-offs for electronics and metals for residents,” Ettenborough said.
Throughout the year, Ettenborough offers residents some tips she uses in her daily life: “Make sure not to buy heavily packaged items,” she said. “I don’t wrap a lot or spend a lot of money on wrapping paper.”
When possible, Ettenborough uses brown paper or recycled paper to wrap. She does not use boxes, instead opting for reuseable bags.
Perhaps the largest holiday item to dispose of in the next few weeks will be the Christmas tree. Ettenborough suggests buying live Christmas trees that can be planted after the holidays or composted.
Christmas tree pickup will be the week of Jan. 7 on regular trash days. Trees must be out by 7 a.m. for pick up.


Some recycling regulations
r Cardboard: While picked up curbside if tied and flattened, large amounts should be brought to Crow Lane Recycle Center the first Saturday of each month between 8 a.m. to noon.
r Paper: contain paper in a brown paper bag next to recycle bin. Anything you can tear is recyclable: cereal boxes, white and colored paper, newspaper, magazines, inserts.
r Batteries: NiCad, rechargeable, button and car batteries bring to Crow Lane, first Saturday of the month 8 a.m. to noon. Alkaline batteries can be thrown in the trash.
r Styrofoam peanuts: Bring to Mailbox Etc. or Pak Mail. Must be clean and bagged.
r Christmas Trees: Collected curbside the week of Jan. 7 on regularly scheduled trash days. The tree must be on the curb by 7 a.m.

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