Dear Recycle Lady,
Christmas time brings with it lots of tissue paper. Can it be recycled with newspapers? Christmas Wrapper
Dear Christmas Wrapper,
Tissue paper is one of the few papers that cannot be recycled at the Recycling Center. Tissue paper is considered a low-grade material and is difficult to recycle as much of it is already made from recycled paper. According to www.citizensustainable.com, when paper is recycled, the fibers are shredded and chopped, making them shorter each time they are recycled. Since tissue paper is probably already made of recycled newspaper, the fibers are so short that they can’t be recycled again.
According to www.theroundup.org/is-tissue-paper, new tissue paper is made from virgin tree pulp and has been described as “flushing forests down the toilet” as it takes a heavy toll on the environment. The good news is that white tissue paper that doesn’t have glitter on it is biodegradable. It will break down in your compost pile in a little more than four weeks and enrich your soil. Tearing the tissue paper into small pieces will speed up the process. Tissue paper that ends up in a landfill can take as long as five years to decompose as it may be buried under all kinds of other waste.
Today there is a biodegradable tissue paper available that is made from plant fibers such as bamboo, hemp and sugar cane. It is generally softer and stronger than regular tissue paper and requires less water and energy to produce. Thus, it is more environmentally friendly. It may cost a little more, but well worth it. Reusing tissue paper and gift bags is also environmentally friendly, as well as economical and acceptable.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What about Christmas cards? Can they be recycled? Love Christmas Cards
Dear Love Christmas Cards,
Yes, Christmas cards can be recycled, but some decisions must be made first. Any glitter, ribbons, foil or felt must be removed as these items do not recycle. Glossy cards go in the magazine/slicks bin and plain paper cards go in the office paper bin.
There are other options to recycling Christmas cards that you might consider. Two websites, https://earthfriendlytips.com/epic-ideas-to-recycle-christmas-cards and https://www.shelterness.com/ideas-to-recycle-christmas-cards have some wonderful ideas for repurposing/recycling Christmas cards.
When choosing cards for next year, consider using seeded Christmas cards that have wildflower seeds embedded in 100% recycled paper. The cards can be soaked in water, torn up and planted in a thin layer of soil. A great start for summer wildflowers! These seeded cards are eco-friendly, zero-waste Christmas cards and can be purchased at www.FTO.com. Other eco-friendly cards made from recycled paper are available.
Recycle Facts: Each year, approximately 700 million plastic laundry detergent jugs end up in landfills in the United States. While many of these jugs are recyclable, they often aren’t due to contamination, lack of recycling facilities or improper disposal.
Have you tried the new eco-friendly sheets of laundry detergent? Not only are they effective at cleaning, but so much easier to carry and store and their paperboard packaging recycles. Various brands are available online and locally at Kroger’s.
Have questions about recycling or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to recyclelady@greenbrier-swa.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
