The presents received this Christmas were mostly likely wrapped in paper containing plastics, metal and different colouring substances.
“You should put gift wraps in with the mixed garbage. These wraps contain metals and dyes, and they don’t belong with cardboards. The strings are plastic, and they should also be thrown in with the normal garbage,” instructs Anja Räisänen, an environmental trainer at Jätekukko, a waste disposal company in eastern Finland.
The brown paper and paper thread used in olden days were more environmentally sound than today’s shiny papers, as the whole gift wrapping could be recycled as such.
“A new phenomenon is wrapping presents into newspapers, using strips of fabric and paper strings. One can make really pretty packages like this, and the wrappings can be disposed of at paper recycling points,” Räisänen notes.
Take your old electronics to WEEE
Garbage collection points are overburdened at Christmas time, as homes produce exceptionally large amounts of garbage over the festive days. It is essential to separate the waste properly to prevent mountains of mixed garbage from piling up.
Plastic and cardboard can be isolated from toy packaging and recycled, while the rest of the package should be put into mixed garbage.
Räisänen reminds the public that electronic toys and old Christmas lights should go to WEEE - waste from electric and electronic equipment - collection points.
“Anything that uses batteries or plugs goes into WEEE-waste,” Räisänen says.