Tips to help you reduce the amount of holiday waste going into our landfills.
Edmontonians produce a lot more waste than usual during the winter holidays. Join the growing number of residents who are taking easy steps to reduce waste while still enjoying a fun and fulfilling season with friends and family.
Holiday Waste Reduction Ideas
- Give experiences, like a day pass to an attraction, a gift card to a restaurant or class at a local studio
- Give your time and skills, like a night of babysitting, cooking lessons or home maintenance repair
- Give subscriptions, like a membership to a streaming service or monthly delivery from a local business
- Give consumables, like locally-roasted coffee, teas, soaps or treats
- Make a donation to a local charity in a friend or family member’s name
- Give pre-loved items, like toys and books
- Give quality items that can be used again and again
- Shop local rather than ordering online to reduce packaging waste
- Check your cupboards and plan your meals before grocery shopping so you don’t buy doubles
- Try using an online portion calculator to plan the amount and variety of foods needed for your meal
- Use what you already have: for example, instead of using disposable cups for guests, use your everyday, reusable drinkware
- Adjust recipes to suit the size of your group
- Make a plan to store and use your holiday leftovers
- Send holiday leftovers home with guests
- Freeze holiday leftovers for future quick meals
- Wrap gifts with reusable materials, like a scarf, piece of cloth, gift box or gift bag
- Reuse old maps, posters and newspapers as gift wrap
- Reuse the front of last year’s greeting cards as gift tags, then recycle them
- Save gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons and bows to reuse next year
- Make your own cloth gift bags to use for years to come
- Choose quality decorations that will last many seasons
- Buy pre-loved decorations at local non-profit and thrift stores
- Donate unwanted holiday items to the Reuse Centre or a local non-profit organization
- Follow the Reuse Centre on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for tips on how to make decorations with reused items
- Recycle your natural Christmas tree
Put it In
Put the following items in your blue bag or apartment blue bin:
- Paper gift wrap
- Cardboard
- Boxes (break down, remove packaging and put in garbage)
- Metal food cans
- Foil trays and pie plates
- Aluminum foil and packaging
- Plastic clam shells
- Plastic bottles and jars (clean and empty, leave lids on)
- Stretchy plastic bags (stuff into one bag and tie closed)
- Beverage containers
Keep it Out
Keep the following items out of your blue bag or apartment blue bin:
- Batteries and e-waste (recycle at Eco Station) - remember, if an item makes noise, lights up or connects to the internet, then it goes to an Eco Station. Learn more about battery disposal and e-waste.
- Tissue paper (save for next year, bring to Reuse Centre or put in garbage)
- Paper cups and plates (put in garbage)
- Bows and ribbons (save for next year, bring to Reuse Centre or put in garbage)
- Bubble wrap (bring to Reuse Centre or put in garbage)
- Plastic packaging (put in garbage)
- Styrofoam packaging (recycle at Eco Station or put in garbage)
- Styrofoam cups and takeout containers (put in garbage)
- Broken Christmas lights (recycle at Eco Station)
Natural Christmas Trees
Note: The City of Edmonton ended the collection of natural Christmas trees from residents' homes in early 2025.
There are many convenient options for safely disposing of your natural Christmas tree!
Drop off your tree at an Eco Station, at no charge, during regular operating hours from January 1-31.
Before arriving at the Eco Station, please ensure all ornaments, decorations and lights are removed from your natural tree.
Drop off your tree at a Recycling Depot at no charge any time from December 26-February 7.
Before arriving at a Recycling Depot, please ensure all ornaments, decorations and lights are removed from your natural tree.
Drop off your tree at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre (EWMC) during regular operating hours, at no charge.
Before arriving at the EWMC, please ensure all ornaments, decorations and lights are removed from your natural tree.
Artificial Christmas Trees
No longer need your artificial tree? Donate it to a local charity, second-hand store or the Reuse Centre.
If your artificial tree is in poor condition:
- Take it to an Eco Station (a small fee applies), or
- Place it in your black garbage cart (lid must fully close). Be careful not to stuff it tightly in your cart, as this may prevent it from sliding out during collection