With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (Authority) would like to share some tips on reducing Valentine’s Day waste!
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 52% of consumers plan to celebrate and spend an average of $192 on those they love for the holiday. The top gifts for Valentine’s Day 2023 are expected to be candy, greeting cards and flowers. 32% of individuals are planning to gift an experience instead of the more typical gifts, which is up 6% from 2022. This is a great way to create a special memory with little to no waste! Below are some ways you can show some love to the earth in addition to your valentine!
Valentine’s Day Cards: Greeting cards and envelopes can be recycled and should be placed loosely in your recycling bin. Consider getting crafty and create a Valentine’s Day card with materials you already have or with materials that you know can be recycled!
Candy Wrappers: Candy wrappers have multiple different layers of wax and plastic to them that cannot be separated, so they should be placed in your garbage bin. Instead of giving candy, you can give much less wasteful sweets like homemade goodies such as cookies or chocolate covered strawberries!
Candy Boxes: Like candy wrappers, candy boxes are made of different layers of cardboard, paper and glue that cannot be separated. If you cannot reuse them for your homemade goodies, candy boxes and their inserts should be placed in your garbage bin.
Flowers and Vases: Flowers and vases are not accepted in your recycling bin. Vases can be reused or upcycled into another gift for another time! Flowers can be composted, be set out with green waste, or be turned into a craft so you can keep them forever. They can also be placed in your regular garbage bin for disposal.
“Valentine’s Day can generate a lot of waste, however, by putting some love in to your gifts it can become a lot less wasteful,” said Recycling Coordinator, Eileen Brinck. “Think of the planet as being your Valentine, too!”
If you are not sure of how to dispose of Valentine’s Day related items or any other kinds of items, visit us at amirecyclable.com to get specific disposal instructions.
For additional information on waste and recycling, please visit www.ohswa.org or call us at (315) 733-1224. You can also reach us on our Facebook page at Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority.