We are in the season of giving, which also means figuring out what to do with all the extra stuff from the gifts.

Over the next several days, we will share some recycling tips on how you should handle the excess of things that accumulate during the holidays.

Previous holiday recycling tips:

• Do not put clothes in the green recycling cart.
• Flatten and bundle the cardboard that does not fit into the recycling cart.
• Recycle televisions at the Streets Division drop-off sites.
• Recycle household batteries at the Streets Division drop-off sites.

Recycling Wrapping Paper
Yes, Madison residents can place most types of wrapping paper into the green recycling cart.

Wrapping paper, gift boxes, cardboard toy packaging, cardboard tubes from wrapping paper, and many other paper-based holiday trappings can be recycled.

However, not everything wrapping our gifts can be recycled.

Wrapping paper with foil cannot be recycled. Gift bows, twine, and ribbons cannot be recycled. And be sure to empty the gift boxes of all the packing material before recycling the cardboard because plastic straps, plastic clasps, and many other non-paper packaging materials should be separated from the cardboard and paper boxes – and some of that packaging might not be recyclable.

As always, before filling your recycling cart, check the Recyclopedia to see if the items you have can be recycled in the cart at home, or if it should be taken to a drop-off site.

The Streets Division drop-off sites are open winter hours, Monday to Friday 7:30am to 3:00pm. The sites are located at 1501 W. Badger Rd and 4602 Sycamore Ave.

Additional information about recycling, and other Streets Division services, can be found at our website, www.cityofmadison.com/streets. Residents can also call the Streets Division offices at 608-246-4532 for east side residents and 608-266-4681 or west side residents.