Step up your recycling game this holiday

’Tis the season — to recycle!

Seriously, between now and the end of the year…  Asheville, we love you, and you are going to generate a lot of….STUFF. You know, all those boxes and bags, tinsel and tags.

As part of the City’s sustainability and trash-reduction goals, we certainly want to keep as much of these materials out of the landfill as possible.

Stay on Santa’s nice list with these holiday recycling tips.

What can go in the Big Blue Cart?

YES

  •         Wrapping paper (except foil wrapping paper)
  •         Gift boxes
  •         Cardboard
  •         Paper gift bags (remove strings)
  •         Holiday cards and envelopes
  •         Catalogs, newspaper, and junk mail

NO

  •         Tissue paper
  •         Ribbons and bows
  •         Plastic gift bags
  •         Bubble wrap and Styrofoam
  •         Puffy mailing envelopes
  •         Used paper plates and cups
  •         Napkins and paper towels
  •         Christmas lights or electronics (Residents can take Christmas lights to Biltmore Iron & Metal for recycling.)

Disposing of your Christmas tree

The City of Asheville Sanitation Division will collect natural Christmas trees on their regular brush collection routes.  Christmas trees must be free of all lights, ornaments, tinsel, stands, and other materials. Place trees at the curb by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your regular brush collection week.  The trees will be taken to Riverside Stump Dump and recycled into mulch.

Residents can also drop off Christmas trees for recycling at the following locations:

  •  Buncombe County Landfill (81 Panther Branch Road)
  •  Private yard waste facilities

Artificial trees in reusable condition can be donated to Goodwill or other reuse organization. Artificial trees that can’t be donated should be called in for bulky trash collection to 828-251-1122.

Find more recycling information to use any time of the year on the City of Asheville Sanitation webpage.

And thank you in advance, Asheville! We’d hate to see you on Santa’s naughty list.