TYLER, Texas (EAST TEXAS NEWS) – Holidays bring cheer, gifts, and decorations, and once the wrapping paper is removed, a lot of trash is generated.
This year, the city of Tyler is gearing up for its peak recycling season, as officials expect to receive about 10 tons of holiday-related waste at the recycling center.
“The holiday season generates a lot of extra cardboard and wrapping paper, so we definitely see an uptick in the number of people who come to the recycling center,” said Leroy Sparrow, Tyler’s Solid Waste Director.
According to the city’s recycling staff, cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, and natural Christmas trees are the items most frequently recycled from November through January. In 2024, the recycling center collected about 30 tons of material each month during the holiday season, roughly a 20% increase over the monthly average for the rest of the year. Sparrow said the city expects to raise that figure by encouraging residents to recycle properly.
“What a great way to help the environment and get rid of your Christmas items,” Sparrow said. “You can bring them to the recycling center to help us prevent them from ending up in the landfill.”
Keep Tyler Beautiful coordinator Casey Williams stressed that small, mindful choices about how holiday waste is disposed of can make a big difference for the environment and for neighborhood safety.
“There are options about what items can be taken to the recycling center instead of ending up in the landfill,” Williams said. “By bringing them here, they’re given a new life and can be reused. In the landfill, they simply accumulate.”
Williams also urged residents not to leave hazardous or bulky items on the curb. “If you have items like large televisions or something similar, you shouldn’t leave them on the curb. It’s a safe way to be mindful of what is left in plain sight, so bringing them to the recycling center is a win for everyone.”
City officials say that contamination, i.e., mixing non-recyclables with recyclables, is the biggest problem during the holidays. Contaminated loads can be rejected and sent to the landfill, wasting residents’ efforts to recycle correctly.
Quick recycling center tips:
- Crush boxes and flatten large packaging to save space.
- Remove tape, bows, and ribbons before recycling paper and cardboard. Recycle only clean, dry cardboard and paper; do not place dirty or greasy cardboard in the recycling container.
- Do not recycle metallic gift wrap, laminated gift bags, or most ribbons; these items should be discarded or can be reused.
- For bulky items like electronics or appliances, use the recycling center instead of leaving them on the curb.
- To manage the seasonal surge, the City of Tyler will add extra collection routes and extend operating hours at some drop-off sites during peak months. City staff recommend residents check cityoftyler.org for updated information on drop-off locations, hours, and accepted materials.
Natural Tree Disposal
From December 26 through mid-January, there will be two drop-off points available for natural Christmas trees without decorations:
- Golden Road Park
- Forest Fun Park
Recycling Center Hours:
Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
