Recycling Christmas cards and wrapping paper? It's trickier than you think!

But should your wrapping paper or Christmas cards also be in the recycling bin?

The answer is - it depends - and unpicking which you can or cannot recycle could be more complicated than you think!

Ian Taylor, waste services team leader at Lincolnshire County Council, advises residents follow this advice:

“Any wrapping paper without glitter, foil or a shiny coating can be placed in your recycling - so long as all bows, sellotape and ribbons are removed.

“Shiny metallic and glitter wrapping paper is not recyclable and therefore needs to go in your general waste.

“Plain Christmas cards (without embellishments) can be recycled, however if you have any cards with glitter on them – you should tear them in half and recycle the glitter-free back part and put the glittered front part in the residual waste.

“Tinsel, foil decorations, fake or natural Christmas trees, used paper napkins and old fairy lights should also NOT be put in the recycling bin.

“You might also have plenty of amazon or other delivery boxes ready to be recycled – please remove all sellotape, paper tape, cable ties and ID labels and these can then go in the recycle bin.”

Other festive items which can go in the recycle bin, include:

○ Aerosol cans (fake snow, de-icer and so on) - just make sure your aerosol can is empty and remember to remove the lid.

○ Glass bottles (except in East Lindsey)

○ Mince pie foil trays, if they are washed out.

“Natural Christmas trees - if you haven’t got a garden waste collection coming up – can be taken to one of our 11 Household Waste Recycling Centres across the county,” adds Ian.

For more information on recycling in Lincolnshire, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/recycling