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FORT COLLINS, Colorado (CBS4) Millions of cardboard boxes will be recycled this week in Colorado alone, as those who celebrated Christmas with gifts are now ditching their unnecessary packaging. The day after Christmas is usually the busiest day for local recycling companies.
That was underscored on Saturday as many took advantage of the good weather to go and get rid of their materials.
(credit: CBS)
The recycling demand was so significant in Fort Collins that the Timberline Recycling Center was forced to close Sunday to catch up on processing what they took on Saturday.
“(Our recycling bins) are filling up faster than we can empty them,” said Caroline Mitchell, Recycling and Waste Reduction Manager for Fort Collins.
A constant line of cars and socially estranged people dotted downtown on Saturday. Dozens of vehicles were unloading large quantities of cardboard, bottles, plastics and more per hour.
“(Saturday) seems to be our busiest day of the year so far,” Mitchell told CBS4’s Dillon Thomas.
(credit: CBS)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many who would have preferred to shop locally turned to shopping online. That directly led to an increase in cardboard used for packaging and shipping during the holiday season.
“Waste and recycling increase more than 25% during the holiday season,” Mitchell said. “We emptied all the containers that we could this morning, and they are almost full again.”
Mitchell said the 2020 Christmas rush could set admission records at the Fort Collins facility. Throughout Fort Collins, several recycling facilities accept everything from cardboard to paper, plastics, electronics, and even old Christmas lights.
Fortunately for the recycling center, the demand and the market for recycled cardboard are important for 2021.
(credit: CBS)
“Everyone did a lot of shopping online, which increases the carton generation,” Mitchell said. “A paper fiber can be recycled seven to 12 times.”
Within hours of the Christmas break, dozens of residents helped fill several containers with Christmas trees. The trees will be sold as mulch.
Mitchell applauded those who chose to recycle their unused or unnecessary holiday items. However, he also hoped that many would consider rethinking how they would handle vacations in the future.
“Wrapping paper is more clay and ink by weight than paper fiber,” Mitchell noted.
Mitchell encouraged people to consider reusing boxes, not using wrapping paper, and more.
For more information on where, what, why and how to recycle in Fort Collins visit: https://www.fcgov.com/recycling/
