City of Edmonton offers tips to reduce waste during holiday season

With the holiday season in full swing, it's easy to forget how shopping can affect not only our wallets, but the amount of waste going to landfills.

According to the city, Edmontonians produce nearly double the amount of waste in December compared to the rest of the year, thanks to the shopping-heavy season.

The City of Edmonton says it doesn't take much for residents to minimize their waste during the holidays.

Reducing waste

Edmonton's Reuse Centre, located at 6835 83 St., is hosting a Waste-Less Holiday Market on Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market offers locally-made gifts created from reused materials while using minimal packaging.

Online shopping also produces more waste due to the packaging associated with shipping a product. The city says people can reduce their waste by buying locally-sourced items.

Buying non-traditional gifts including event tickets, a new subscription to streaming services or an online donation can reduce one's waste this season.

Meal planning also helps avoid excessive leftovers. Using everyday cutlery and dishware over disposables will decrease how much garbage ends up in the landfill.

Sorting tips

Properly sorting waste helps keep it out of the dump. By downloading the WasteWise app, families can find what garbage goes where and what can be recycled as well.

While some gift wrapping and boxes can be recycled, there are some items including batteries and broken Christmas lights that need to be dropped off at the Eco-Station for safe disposal.

The city asks to check all electronics for batteries and to follow the WasteWise special instructions when dropping them off.

Residents can download a What Goes Where poster for curbside or apartment and condo pickup from the city for an easy reference when dealing with garbage.

For more information on how to lessen your holiday waste this season, visit the City of Edmonton's website.