With the holidays over, it’s time to start the clean up. The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) has tips on how to recycle common holiday waste, what to do with your tree after the holidays and pick up delays due to the holidays and winter weather.
Most holiday waste will go in the garbage. This includes envelopes with plastic padding (even if the outside is paper); foil or glitter-covered wrapping paper and gift bags; bubble wrap, plastic “air pillows” and packing peanuts; plastic gift cards and any plastic not shaped like a bottle or tub; and string lights, ribbon, yarn and cords. This last category is called “tanglers” because they get tangled in the machines that sort recyclables and cause the whole process to shut down.
Wrapping paper and gift bags can go in the recycling bin only if they are made of paper and contain no foil or glitter. Cardboard boxes can also go in the recycling and it’s ok to leave tape and labels on them. Flatten boxes and cut up large boxes so they fit inside the bin.
Batteries and things with batteries can be placed in a one-quart, zip-sealed bag, placed on top of residential glass recycling bins. They should never be put in the garbage or recycling bins due to the risk of sparking fires.
All food goes in the compost bin, including scraps from plates, potato peels, apple cores, chicken bones and spoiled or moldy food. Holiday trees, wreaths and greenery (as long as all decorations, lights and wire have been removed) go in the compost bin. Trees should be cut into pieces three feet or shorter. If you can’t cut your tree, it can be placed in its entirety next to your compost bin for an additional $5.45 charge. Fake or “flocked” trees go in the garbage.
Both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Thursdays this year, which means that customers with Thursday and Friday collection days will be delayed by one day. Friday customers will have their collection day on Saturday.
Additional information at portland.gov/bps/garbage-recycling/news/2025/12/9/holiday-garbage-and-recycling-tips. Questions can be directed to the Garbage and Recycling Hotline at 503.823.7202 or by emailing wasteinfo@portlandoregon.gov.
