The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) is offer tips on how Louisiana residents can properly dispose of holiday waste this year.
The department says that Louisiana produces more waste in December than any other month.
When preparing for the coming holidays, LDH asks residents to think green: reduce, reuse and recycle.
- Wrapping gifts? Be creative! Wrap a gift in a gift -- such as a scarf, bandanna, dishtowel or cloth shopping bag.
- Out with the old, so you have room for the new - consider donating toys and clothing you've outgrown to charitable organizations. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, check with the charities for hours of donation.
- Discarded electronics (laptops, old CPUs, copiers, fax machines, printers and flat-screen monitors) may be donated to a local nonprofit agency or the Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council (CACRC). Due to COVID-19 restrictions, please check the CARC website for hours of donation at www.cacrc.com.
- Environmentally Friendly decorating - Artificial trees don't have to be discarded, and a live trees can be replanted. Live trees cannot be flocked or have tinsel or decorations on it if it is to be recycled. Cut trees are usually collected in early January and are ground up into compost or mulch or used in other ways. You can find information about seasonal pickups and recycling through your parish.
- LED Christmas lights last longer, save energy and money, and can be recycled. Go to www.holidayleds.com/christmas-light-recycling-program.aspx for recycling instructions.
- Cardboard can be put into a recycle bin or taken to a drop off location.
- Foam peanuts and bubble wrap can be reused.
- Buy rechargeable batteries for toys, cameras and gadgets. When those batteries no longer hold a charge, call the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation at 800-8-BATTERY ( 800-228-8379), or go to their website www.call2recycle.org for information on the nearest battery recycling drop off location.
The Department add that to ensure a safe holiday to never burn wrapping paper or Christmas trees in the fireplace.
For more recycling ideas, go to http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/page/recycling or go to Republic's holiday recycling tips athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8KR5qWMhpU&feature=youtu.be.
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