Wrapping paper is difficult to recycle as it contains thin fibres, is often dyed, laminated, glittery, metallic or has tape attached. For these reasons, not all areas will accept wrapping paper for recycling this year and in South Hams, apart from plain brown parcel paper, it will not be recycled and should go in your grey bin.
Only non-glittery Christmas cards will be recycled and should go in the blue collecting sacks. Glittery cards should go in the grey general waste bin to go to the new Plymouth incinerator, where South West Devon’s non-recyclable waste is processed. If you find a recycling scheme for cards and wrapping paper, please make sure that you do not include any with glitter or foil decoration. Glitter clogs the machinery and contaminates recycled paper which is then rejected by the companies which buy it. Lorry loads are then likely to go to landfill or for incineration. Of course you could re-cycle the cards yourself by making them into: gift tags, book markers, note cards, or even Christmas cards for next year!
