Recycle Right This Holiday Season

The holiday season brings a large increase in boxes, packaging, and paper, which makes it a great time to check that we’re recycling the right way. The City of Lawrence wants to spread the cheer by sharing simple holiday recycling reminders to help keep recyclable materials out of the landfill and reduce added costs caused by contamination.

In August, we shared information about how our City’s recycling contamination rate leads to increased costs for our recycling program and safety concerns for our team members. Lawrence’s most recent recycling audit in November 2025 showed a small improvement in contamination: Decreasing from 16.2% earlier this year to 15.1%.

While this great news shows that we are heading in the right direction, our contamination is still above the target of 10%, which means the City continues to pay surcharges on every ton of recycling processed at the local Material Recovery Facility (MRF) owned and operated by HAMM. Because the latest audit remains above 15%, the City is still paying the additional surcharge level associated with that threshold as well.

Why Contamination Matters
Contamination happens when non-recyclable items or improperly prepared materials are placed in our blue recycling carts. The team at the MRF works everyday to sort all of the materials that we place into our blue recycling carts. As HAMM finds materials that are unacceptable or hazardous they will remove those items and label them as contamination. When contamination levels exceed contract targets, the City is charged additional fees for each ton of recycling delivered.

One of the biggest issues seen at the MRF is “nested recycling”, like placing smaller items or trash inside a cardboard box and then putting the entire box into the cart. Even when the box itself is recyclable, boxes filled with mixed materials are often treated as trash because it’s difficult to identify and separate what’s inside.

Easy Holiday Recycling Tips
The holidays create a lot of extra recycling, and a few small habits can keep it clean and sortable at the MRF:

📦 Box season is here: keep cardboard empty and flat
Break down cardboard boxes and gift boxes before placing them in your cart. Make sure they’re completely empty — no bubble wrap, plastic packaging, foam, or “bonus items” tucked inside. This “nesting” is our #1 issue.

🎁 Wrapping paper is a “no go”
Office paper and cardboard can go in the blue cart, including many paperboard gift boxes. However, wrapping paper and tissue paper are NOT recyclable. If you’re recycling paper from gifts, remember: remove any non-paper pieces like plastic windows, ribbons, or bows. Remove as much tape as you can when possible.

🧻 Skip the tiny stuff: No shredded paper or confetti-style scraps
Shredded paper and tiny pieces (like confetti, filler, or small shreds of wrapping paper) are too small for sorting equipment and should go in the trash.

🛍️ Plastic bags and film are a no (even the little ones)
Many new toys, gadgets, and household items come with small plastic bags, plastic wrap, and film packaging. These DO NOT belong in the blue cart. They tangle equipment and cause shutdowns at the facility.

🚫 Keep it loose – No bagging recyclables
Even if it feels “tidier,” bagged recyclables usually can’t be sorted correctly, and the plastic bag itself will be labeled as trash. Please place items directly in the cart.

🍽️ Holiday leftovers are great, but leftover food isn’t
Before you recycle bottles, jars, cans, and containers, make sure they’re empty and quickly rinsed. Food residue can contaminate paper and other recyclables and make loads harder to process.

🔋 Batteries and hazardous items: keep them out of the cart
If you find old batteries while upgrading holiday lights, toys, or electronics, don’t toss them in recycling. Take batteries and other household hazardous waste to the City’s Household Hazardous Waste facility. You can learn more and make an appointment on our City’s HHW Webpage: lawrenceks.gov/swm/hhw

Check Before You Chuck
Residents can check what goes in the recycling cart anytime by visiting lawrenceks.gov/recycling, using the Recyclable Materials Database, or scanning the QR code on their blue cart.

As you celebrate this holiday season, a few small recycling habits can make a big difference for Lawrence. Breaking down boxes, keeping recyclables loose, and leaving out problem items helps keep our recycling program running safely and efficiently while also keeping more materials out of the landfill.

Thank you for doing your part to recycle right this holiday season, and for helping keep Lawrence clean and sustainable year-round.

Media Contact: City Communications, citycommunications@lawrenceks.gov

About the City of Lawrence  
The City of Lawrence supports an unmistakably vibrant community with innovative, equitable, transparent and responsible local government. Together, we are creating a community where everyone can enjoy life and feel at home.