Can you recycle wrapping paper? What Shropshire councils say on festive packaging

But with a pile of presents often comes a pile of mess with wrapping paper and other packaging strewn across floors. And once you add it all up, the numbers are huge.

In 2017 waste management company Biffa said 227,000 piles of wrapping paper is thrown away each December, and the amount used when preparing presents is enough to wrap around the equator nine times. 300,000 tonnes of card packaging is also used at Christmas, something Biffa described as enough to cover the Elizabeth Tower - containing Big Ben - almost 260,000 times.

So it's little wonder what people want to know what they can do with wrapping paper once its no longer needed and if it can be recycled.

There are various types of wrapping paper: plain sheets; glittered and embellished paper; plastic or foiled paper. A good way to check if your wrapping paper is recyclable is to scrunch it up: if it stays scrunched it can, whereas sheets that spring back can't.

Any paper that can be recycled must also be stripped of sticky tape, bows, staples and anything else attached to it.

Shropshire

Plain wrapping paper can go into recycling bags. However, paper with glitter, plastic and other embellishments can't and must go into general waste.

Telford & Wrekin

Like Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin only accepts plain (non-metallic, non-glitter) wrapping paper for recycling. Paper and card that contain metallics or glitter cannot be recycled so we recommend.

Powys

Wrapping paper and paper that does not have glitter on is recyclable, but the mid Wales council says any with glitter or plastic cannot be recycled and must be placed into general waste.

Other packaging

Local authorities suggest that people reuse wrapping paper with glitter or metallics as gift tags or decorations for future Christmases.

It's not just wrapping paper that can be recycled:

Aluminium foil and cooking trays (clean them and remove food residue first)

Cardboard (removing all tape, staples, wax and anything else attached to it)

Christmas cards (remove all glittered and embellished parts and batteries before recycling)

However, other packaging and Christmas accessories remains single-use and can't be recycled, including:

Batteries

Bows and ribbons

Bubble wrap

Plastic packaging

Tinsel