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The Hidden Impact of Wrapping Paper During the Festive Season

Welcome to Part 3 of our Greener Christmas series! Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared tips on choosing eco-friendly Christmas trees and finding sustainable Christmas gifts. Now, let’s tackle another festive staple with a significant environmental impact: wrapping paper.

The festive season brings joy, celebrations, and unfortunately, a significant increase in waste. One of the biggest culprits? Wrapping paper. While it might seem harmless, the environmental impact of this seasonal staple is far greater than you might think.

Every Christmas, the UK alone discards around 227,000 miles of wrapping paper—enough to circle the Earth nine times! Much of this paper ends up in landfill because it’s not recyclable. Glitter, foil, and plastic coatings, which make wrapping paper look extra festive, also make it impossible to recycle.

Contamination in Recycling

A lesser-known issue with wrapping paper is its role as a contaminant in mixed paper recycling. Due to its varied compositions—including laminated coatings, dyes, and non-paper additives—wrapping paper can disrupt recycling processes. Research from WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) highlights that wrapping paper containing non-recyclable elements often ends up in the wrong waste streams, leading to entire batches of paper recycling being rejected.

Recycling facilities rely on clean, uncontaminated paper to produce new materials. Contaminants like glitter or plastic films can clog machinery and reduce the quality of the recycled product, which is why certain councils refuse to accept wrapping paper altogether. This underscores the importance of checking the recyclability of your gift wrap and opting for sustainable alternatives.

On top of that, the production of wrapping paper is energy-intensive. For every kilogram produced, over three kilograms of CO₂ emissions are released into the atmosphere. This highlights the importance of being mindful of our choices during the festive season.

Sustainable Alternatives to Wrapping Paper

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to wrap gifts sustainably while still keeping things festive and fun. Here are some simple, eco-friendly alternatives:

  1. Fabric Wraps Inspired by the Japanese art of furoshiki, using fabric or cloth (like scarves or tea towels) to wrap gifts creates a beautiful, reusable alternative to paper.
  2. Recyclable Brown Paper Simple, effective, and fully recyclable—brown paper can be dressed up with twine, natural decorations, or stamps for a festive touch.
  3. Reusable Gift Bags Invest in reusable gift bags or boxes that can be used year after year, reducing single-use waste.
  4. Newspaper and Magazines Get creative by repurposing newspapers or magazines as gift wrap. It’s a fun, quirky, and eco-friendly way to package presents.
  5. Do the Scrunch Test Before tossing wrapping paper in the recycling bin, do the scrunch test: crumple the paper into a ball. If it stays scrunched, it’s recyclable. If it springs back, it likely contains non-recyclable elements.

Small Changes, Big Impact

By making small changes to how we wrap gifts, we can all play a part in reducing waste this festive season. When combined with choosing a greener Christmas tree and giving thoughtful, sustainable gifts, these small steps add up to make a significant impact.

At Newport Recycling, we’re passionate about helping our community make sustainable choices—and this Christmas, a little creativity with your wrapping can go a long way.

For more tips on reducing festive waste, stay tuned to our blog and follow us on LinkedIn. Let’s work together for a greener, cleaner future!

Missed the earlier parts of our Greener Christmas series?