Reducing Waste During The Holidays

Thursday, 12 December 2019 08:25

The holidays are a time for giving, it's also a time we tend to create a lot of waste. A new pilot project allows you drop off bulky styrofoam from packaging at the Oxford Waste Management Facility and Woodstock Enviro Depot free of charge.

OXFORD COUNTY - Oxford County Waste Management Services is asking everybody to try and limit your waste this holiday season.

Manager Frank Gross says we always seem to produce more waste during the holidays.

"It is a busy time for waste management services with a lot of people having a break from work and students have a break from school, so they typically produce a little more waste then they normally would. So we wanted to just provide some tips on how residents can do some of that by choosing recyclable gift wrapping and products with less packaging."

Gross says they have introduced a new pilot project this year where you can drop off bulky styrofoam from packaging at the Oxford Waste Management Facility and Woodstock Enviro Depot for free.

"We have partnered with a company that can process that material on site and then send it to end market for reuse, so that helps reduce that material from ending up in the landfills."

Follow these simple steps for quick and simple recycling this holiday season:

- Remove all tape, plastic film, twist ties and other objects before recycling cardboard packaging.
- Break down and flatten all cardboard boxes, with bundles no larger than 75 x 75 x 20 centimetres.
- Wrapping paper can be recycled, with the exception of foil-based wrapping paper.
- Remove all ribbons and bows. Save and reuse for next year where possible.

Residences and businesses in Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford, Ingersoll and Zorra will have regularly scheduled collection during the holidays.

Woodstock and Tillsonburg will have adjusted collection dates. You can find the adjusted schedule online here.

The Oxford County Waste Management Facility will be closed on Wednesday, December 25 Thursday, December 26 and Wednesday, January 1.