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Cleaning Up After the Holidays

We hope you had a great Christmas full of family and fun, and now that Boxing Day is upon us, it’s time to start thinking about how to clean up after the holidays. Whether you’re cleaning up your home right away, or waiting until the new year, be sure you’re responsible about recycling and disposal.

Here’s your guide to cleaning up after the holidays:

Black Carts

These items are acceptable for disposal in your black cart:

  • Lights (consider donating these)
  • Decorations and ornaments (consider donating these)
  • Artificial trees (consider donating these)
  • Ribbons and bows
  • Wrapping paper (foil and metallic)

Blue Carts

These items are recyclable and it’s encouraged you dispose of them in your blue cart:

  • Plastic bags
  • Bubble wrap
  • Cardboard
  • Cards
  • Paper gift bags
  • Tissue paper
  • Wrapping paper (gloss or matte)

If your blue cart gets full, these items are all accepted at community recycle stations as well. More information can be found here.

Christmas Tree Recycling

The City of Calgary’s Christmas tree recycling program helps keep nearly 35,000 trees from taking up space in the landfill. Residents who receive regular black cart collection can leave their trees with their garbage bins, starting at 7:00 am on January 9, 2015. Alternatively, starting December 26, 2014, you can drop-off your Christmas tree at one of the drop-off locations listed here.