According to Hallmark, approximately 145 million Valentine’s Day cards will be exchanged this year! And, guess how much we’re expected to spend? A whopping $23.9 billion (yes, billion!), according to the annual survey released on Jan. 31, 2022 by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
Needless to say, Valentine’s Day is quite a popular holiday. While it’s exciting to give and receive gifts of the heart – Valentine’s Day, like most holidays, creates a lot of excess trash.
Show your love for your sweetheart and the environment with these Valentine’s Day recycling tips.
Cards. When it comes to recycling cards, just remember – the fancier the card, the less recyclable it is. Plain paper greeting cards without metallic print or embellishments are perfectly recyclable. Cards that sing are cute, but they’re not recyclable because they contain tiny batteries that can combust when compressed in the back of a waste collection truck or by the equipment at a recycling center. Treat these types of cards like e-waste and dispose of them safely.
Flowers. Once your flowers have lost their bloom, they go in your compost bin or trash.
Gift bags. Paper gift bags are recyclable – but like greeting cards, the fancier they are, the less recyclable they are. When in doubt, reuse the gift bag or throw it out.
Candy boxes and wrappers. Mostly everything about a box of Valentine’s candy is not recyclable. Both the candy wrappers and the box (if it’s embellished or contains chocolate residue) belong in your trash can.
Gift packaging. If you receive a package in the mail, remember that the cardboard box is recyclable but not the bubble wrap, Styrofoam or shrink wrap. Reusing these materials is the best bet. You can save them for other packages or drop them by your local shipping store to see if they need them. If not, then place them in your waste bin.
For more recycling tips on Valentine’s Day and beyond, visit RecyclingSimplified.com.
Looking for fun, recycling-approved Valentine’s Day cards? Download our printable cards today. Happy Valentine’s Day from Republic Services!