Reduce, reuse but don't recycle Christmas wrapping paper

In many households, beginning Christmas Eve and continuing for the next several days as friends and families visit, there will be a frenzy of gift giving.

But the manager of solid waste and recycling services for the city of Thunder Bay is reminding people that Christmas wrapping paper can not be recycled.

Blue bags, containing wrapping paper and left at the curbside for pick-up, will not be collected, said Jason Sherband.

"The traditional Christmas wrap has extremely high ink content, it contains things like plastic and glitter and it also has a really low fibre content and it's those things that mean it holds minimal value in the recycling process," he said.

Sherband recommended trying alternative ways to wrap Christmas presents such as using newspapers, recyclable materials or fabric gift bags.

As well, because of the holidays, waste and recycling collection days have been moved ahead a day in Thunder Bay, for the weeks of December 21 and December 28.