CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Whether you're wrapping gifts this week or opening them, your favorite decorative paper may not be welcome in the recycling bin.
"The reds and the greens are not very recyclable-friendly so what we say with those type of wrapping papers - when in doubt throw it out," said Michael Benedetto, President TFC Recycling.
Michake Benedetto is President of TFC Recycling in Chesapeake so he knows a thing or two about "recycling right."
He said because red and green seem to be in almost all wrapping paper this time of year, people don't realize that it shouldn't end up at his facility.
"Some of the biggest challenges is that the red and the greens cannot be dyed and a lot of times they're not made of paper so it's a problem when we would sell that to a consumer that's trying to turn it back into new paper products," he said.
He said that many types of paper can be recycled through other outlets, however it can't be collected through curbside recycling in Hampton Roads.
If you decide to ditch the wrapping paper for a bag, you will still need to double-check the material of the bag and filler items. If you live in Hampton Roads, decorative stickers, glittered or foiled labels are not accepted in your curbside bin.
Benedetto adds, "anything that wraps whether it be rope, Christmas tree lights, Christmas trees, bags plastic bags -- are not good.
See below for TFC Recycling's "Holiday Recycling Checklist:"
