Lee County Solid Waste has tips for the 2022 holiday season to help residents determine what to recycle, what can be repurposed and what needs to go in the trash bin.

Take charge of electronics: Popular each holiday, the latest tech gift often upstages a slower, less capable model. Residents can safely and responsibly dispose of old electronics and rechargeable batteries at no charge.

  • Take it to the Lee County Household Chemical Waste Facility, 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers.
  • Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon.

Wrap it well and then …

  • Think about which gift bags, boxes, tissues and bows you could potentially store and reuse next holiday season.
  • Break down your shipping boxes and gift boxes and place them in your recycling bin. Recycle only boxes that did not contain a liquid.
  • Put used wrapping paper in your recycling bin unless it has a metallic finish.

What about packing materials?

  • Air pockets and bubble wrap are not recyclable in your home recycling cart. Put them in your trash or check availability to recycle them at some area grocery stores.

Oh Tannenbaum – what to do with the tree:

  • Be sure to remove the tree stand, lights, decoration and tinsel.
  • Broken and burned-out strands of lights go in the trash.
  • Set green Christmas trees out with your yard waste.
  • Trees will be ground for use as mulch or compost.

What about flocked trees?

  • Those trees with that snow-covered look cannot be recycled due to the white, powdery mixture on their branches. Put them with your trash.

And the rest of the yard trimmings?

  • Place yard waste in containers of 50 pounds or less, or in securely tied bundles not heavier than 50 pounds or longer than six feet in length.
  • Set up to 50 pounds of unbundled palm fronds at the curb.
  • Keep regular yard waste trimmings separate from any storm debris piles.

Recycle the usuals:

Aluminum and tin cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic containers can be recycled if:

  • The plastic containers are labeled #1 through #7
  • They are empty, clean and dry.

What about the paper plates, used napkins and plastic utensils?

  • They go in the trash.

Lee County’s waste stream generally increases about 20% during the holidays and perhaps even more this year due to Hurricane Ian, but taking even a few small steps can help reduce the amount of waste generated.

For more information about recycling and waste disposal, contact Lee County Solid Waste at 239-533-8000 or visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste