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Recycle Your Holidays: Reduce Waste and Recycle Right!

by on December 19, 2025

The holidays bring celebration, connection, and a lot of extra stuff. From gift wrap and packaging to food and tech gifts, small choices can add up to less waste and a greener season. Seattle Public Utilities is here to help you recycle right, prevent waste, and make mindful choices this holiday season.

Naughty or Nice? Know Before You Toss

Holiday packaging can be tricky. Some items belong in recycling — others don’t. Knowing the difference helps keep recycling clean and working properly.

Nice Items Get Recycled

Graphic showing recyclable holiday items including flattened cardboard boxes, cardboard wrapping paper tubes, plain wrapping paper without foil or glitter, and holiday cards and envelopes. Text reads “Nice items get recycled.”

These holiday items can go in your recycling cart:

  • Flattened cardboard boxes
  • Cardboard wrapping paper tubes
  • Plain wrapping paper (no foil, glitter, or plastic coating)
  • Holiday cards and envelopes without foil or glitter

Tip: If it tears easily like paper, it’s likely recyclable.

Naughty Items Go in the Trash

Graphic showing holiday items that should go in the trash, including foam packing peanuts, bubble wrap, plastic film, tissue paper, ribbons and bows with glitter, gift bags with handles or glitter, single-use plates and cups, and holiday string lights.

These items do not belong in recycling:

  • Foam packing peanuts or blocks, bubble wrap, and plastic film
  • Tissue paper
  • Ribbons, bows, and anything with glitter
  • Gift bags with handles or decorated with foil or glitter
  • Single-use plates, cups, and utensils
  • Holiday string lights (they tangle recycling equipment)

When in doubt, it’s better to put questionable items in the trash than risk contaminating recycling.

Give a Gift That Prevents Waste: Buy Refurbished

Looking for new tech this holiday season? Consider choosing refurbished electronics.

Graphic titled “Holiday Gift Giving Tips” with illustrations of headphones, a laptop, and a smartphone. Text reads “Are you in the market for new tech this holiday season? Consider buying refurbished!”

Refurbished items help reduce waste while still delivering quality and value.

Graphic titled “Why Buy Refurbished?” listing four benefits: preventing waste by using fewer new resources, saving money, certified performance comparable to new items, and the message “It’s new to you!” A note at the bottom mentions the Right to Repair Bill beginning January 1, 2026.

Why buy refurbished?

  • It prevents waste by using fewer new resources
  • It’s often easier on your wallet
  • Items are tested and certified to perform like new
  • It’s still new to you

And coming soon: Washington’s Right to Repair law, effective January 1, 2026, will make it easier to repair phones, laptops, and other electronics — extending their life even further.

’Tis the Season to Use Food Well

Food is at the heart of many holiday celebrations — and it’s also one of the biggest sources of waste.

Graphic titled “’Tis the Season to Use Food Well!” showing the Earth wrapped like a gift alongside illustrations of food scraps. Text notes that preventing food waste is a gift to the planet and that the average family throws away about $3,000 in edible food each year.

Preventing food waste saves money and helps protect the planet.

Graphic listing three ways to prevent food waste: planning meals, getting creative with leftovers, and composting food scraps. Illustrations include leftover food containers, food scraps, and a green compost bin.

You can reduce food waste by:

  1. Planning meals before you shop
  2. Getting creative with leftovers
  3. Composting food scraps like peels, cores, and bones

Small Choices Make a Big Difference

This holiday season, recycling right, choosing refurbished gifts, and preventing food waste all help reduce waste across Seattle.

Recycle smart. Waste less. Celebrate sustainably.
Happy holidays from Seattle Public Utilities.

Filed Under: News