City urges Edmontonians to recycle holiday waste

City officials are reminding Edmontonians about the right way to recycle post-holiday season.

Last year, the City of Edmonton collected 3,000 tonnes of recycled material in the two weeks after Christmas almost double the amount collected during the first two weeks of December.

And waste management crews want your help to make sure the right waste ends up in the right place.

The city says 93 per cent of people in Edmonton send waste to be recycled one of the highest recycling rates in North America.

Edmontonians are avid recyclers and its great to see so much material coming into our recycling facility, but wrong items can cause problems, said Connie Boycewith the citys Waste Management Services.

Its important to remind residents what goes in their recycling bag, garbage bag or what to take to an Eco Station.

Knowing what cant be recycled is equally important, said Boyce.

Christmas lights, extension cords, small appliances and scrap metal cause problems that can damage equipment and cause the Materials Recovery Facility to temporarily shut down.

These items should be taken to an Eco Station instead, she said.

A full list of Eco Stations in the city is available here.