The average family will create more than 30 per cent more waste during the festive season than a normal week.

Across the country, up to one billion cards and 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper will be discarded – much of it needlessly. It is now possible to recycle a large proportion of Christmas waste, with clear benefits to the environment. An extra five bags of refuse will, on average, be generated by each household, with the added waste accounting for around 1.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to the national Recycle Now campaign.

“It is important that people recycle,” says Bradford Council’s recycling officer Edith Grooby. “There is such a big increase in the amount of waste and it makes sense to recycle or re-use.”

She adds: “This year I’ve used gift bags for presents that I was given last year. You save money, save resources and the environment. And I’ve been using re-suing ribbons from last year.” Bradford Council launched its Christmas recycling campaign on December 19. From empty glass jars to used batteries, the district’s eight household waste recycling centres – including the newly-refurbished one at Queensbury – can take a wide range of materials to be recycled.

And a number of stores and supermarket chains are providing facilities for Christmas card recycling.

Says Mike Clare, manager of WH Smith in Bradford, who are participating in a national card recycling scheme: “Recycling is really important for the future of the planet, and for many people is now part of family life. Being able to help makes people feel good – they feel they are making a contribution for future generations.”

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, Bradford Council’s executive member for environment and culture, says: “Christmas is a lot of fun, but it also creates a lot of waste. We are asking residents to think about what they put in the bin and whether it can be recycled or put to good use.”

Christmas trees

Where there is a garden waste service, trees can be put out for kerbside collection – dates can be found on the garden waste calendar delivered to homes. Alternatively, they can be taken to household waste recycling centres or participating garden centres – these are ACW in Canal Road, Stephen H Smith garden centre in Wilsden Road, Harden, Peel Park Nursery, Tong Garden Centre and Woodbank Nurseries in Harden. There is no need to chop them up.

“Last year Bradford Council collected 11 tonnes of Christmas trees,” says Edith. “We are looking forward to seeing how much people recycle this year.”

Household waste recycling centres are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day.

Batteries

Bradford Council was one of the first local authorities in the country to trial the recycling initiative Battery Back. Staff and members of the public can leave used batteries in collection canisters – made from recycled plastic – placed in nine of the Council’s buildings including City Hall reception.

One of the problems with collecting small batteries, such as those used in torches, children’s toys and remote controls, is the cost of collecting relatively small amounts of waste from different sites. The initiative – run by WeeeCare, which manages the UK’s largest compliance scheme for waste electrical and electronic equipment – combines the collection of batteries with other hazardous waste so it can be collected in a cost-effective way. The batteries are recycled in Belgium by the company Revatech which recycles at least 55 per cent of the weight of the batteries treated.

The initiative is in line with a European Directive that 25 per cent of all portable batteries must be recycled by 2012, rising to 45 per cent by 2016. Batteries can also be deposited at Bradford’s household waste recycling centres.

Christmas Cards

“Last year, from the second it began, we were emptying the card recycling box constantly,” says Mike Clare, manager at WH Smith. “Even when the last date had passed people were coming in with cards.”

WH Smith is one of a number of stores involved in the Woodland Trust Christmas card recycling scheme which converts them into new paper products, with proceeds going to the trust. From January 2 to January 31 cards can be left at WH Smith, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and TK Maxx. A target of 100 million cards has been set by the Woodland Trust and Recycle Now, which translates into 24,000 trees being planted, saving 2,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases – the same as taking more than 800 cars off the road for a year.

Cards without glitter or foil can be placed in the Bradford Council paper recycling bins for collection.

Cards can also be recycled at all Morrisons stores from 27 December. The scheme is run in conjunction with the Salvation Army.

Alternatively, be creative and cut up old cards to make gift tags for next year.

Electrical items

With a quarter of people buying electrical or electronic goods this Christmas, many old items will be left gathering dust in cupboards and cluttering up homes. Research by Recycle Now reveals that households have, on average, around three broken or unwanted small electrical goods stored away. In one year, the amount of electrical waste we generate could fill Wembley Stadium six times and, disturbingly, 75 per cent of electrical waste ends up in landfill sites.

Electrical items can be taken to Bradford’s household waste recycling sites. All local authorities across the UK have dedicated facilities for collecting waste electrical goods. Some retailers will take back electrical waste in their store. These include Currys, Aldi, Gamestation, Orange and PC World. For a list look at recyclenow.com.

Laura Underwood, of Recycle Now, says: “Christmas is the ideal time to think about recycling old electricals to make room for new ones. “

Stamps

Children can help save the albatross by saving stamps. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds sells stamps to dealers and auction houses to raise funds for bird-scaring devices to place on longline fishing boats. Longline fishing is having a devastating impact on albatrosses across the world, with 19 out of 22 species threatened with extinction. The charity can raise cash from all types of stamps – whether they are used or unused, UK, foreign or first day covers. Send them to RSPB Stamps, PO Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LUX 9XT.

Other festive waste

Glass bottles and jars, cans, tins and aerosols, paper, white card and wrapping paper (without glitter or foil) can be recycled through the kerbside collection service.

A full list of items that can be recycled and at which household waste centres can be found on bradford.gov.uk/christmasrecycle or ring (01274) 431000.