PEOPLE in Cornwall are being encouraged to have a green Christmas this year by recycling wrapping paper, tins and trees.

Cornwall Council has issued guidance on which items can be recycled and when to put them out for collection:

l Christmas trees – Real Christmas trees will be picked up during usual waste collections taking place in the weeks of Monday, January 6, and Monday, January 13.

Collection

Residents should put trees out for collection on the usual waste collection day, not with the recycling.

l Christmas cards and envelopes – Christmas cards should be placed in the sack for cardboard.

White envelopes should go into the paper sack, coloured or brown envelopes should go with the cardboard.

l Wrapping paper – Most Christmas wrapping paper can be recycled, although paper coated with foil or plastic can not be accepted.

All non shiny paper (without the ribbons, sticky tape or string) can go in the paper sack.

l Cardboard – Cardboard boxes should be flattened and put into the cardboard recycling sack.

Big pieces of cardboard or large amounts can be flattened and bundled together and put out next to the recycling, or taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).

l Chocolate and biscuit tins – Empty metal chocolate and biscuit tins can go into the sack for plastic bottles and cans.

Cornwall Council cannot recycle plastic containers.

l Additional recycling – Extra recycling that does not fit into containers can be put it into carrier bags and put out with the rest the items to be recycled.

Glass should be placed in a rigid or sturdy box.

Did you know that around 30 per cent of domestic food waste is compostable?

Cornwall Council is encouraging residents to compost their left-over food this holiday period – compost bins are available from the council.