With average household waste in the United States increasing by about 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, it’s the season to holiday recycling right, according to the Waste Commission of Scott County.
County residents may recycle many holiday items through curbside and drop-off recycling programs. Items that may be recycled include cardboard boxes; wrapping paper tubes; paper gift/shopping bags; tissue paper; plain paper wrapping paper; greeting cards and envelopes (even photo cards); newspapers, advertisements, magazines, and catalogs; plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs; glass bottles and jars; along with aluminum and steel cans.
Cookie/popcorn tins can also go into the recycling cart or drop-off recycling programs unless you plan to reuse them.
Have your twinkle lights lost their sparkle? Strands of lights may be recycled, but not in curbside recycling carts. String lights — along with batteries, computers, monitors, televisions, printers, digital cameras, and video game systems — are considered electronic waste, or e-waste. These items may be dropped off from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. And also from 8 to 11:30 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month at the Electronics Recovery Center, 5650 Carey Ave., Davenport.
There is no charge to residents of Scott and Rock Island counties.
The cities of Bettendorf and Davenport collect large e-waste items at the curb from residents on their bulky waste/recycling days. They deliver them to the Electronics Recovery Center. Data-containing electronics should be dropped off at the secure Electronics Recovery Center during business hours.
What can’t be recycled?
Residents should be aware that not all holiday items may be recycled. Items such as plastic bags, films, and bubble wraps; Styrofoam; wrapping paper with metallic foil or glitter; bows; ribbons; and artificial Christmas trees are considered contaminants to the recycling process and should be placed in the garbage or reused.
Residents are reminded that all recyclables must be placed loosely in their cart. The list must be closed for collection. Cardboard placed outside the cart cannot be collected. Large cardboard pieces or excess recyclables may be recycled at any of the drop-off locations. A list of locations may be found at wastecom.com/recycling.
For more information about holiday recycling, call (563) 386-9575 or visit wastecom.com.
