Put holiday waste in the right place: simple action, big impact
The holidays bring joyful moments, cherished recipes and thoughtful gifts, but they also bring a noticeable spike in household waste. In fact, Calgarians generate up to 25% more waste during the holiday season. From decorations and shipping boxes to food scraps and wrapping paper, it all adds up. That’s why The City of Calgary is encouraging Calgarians to sort holiday waste properly, because a simple action like putting items in the right cart helps keep our city clean and our communities safe.
“Holiday waste often ends up in the wrong place,” says Aidan Fernandes, Waste Diversion Specialist, Waste & Recycling Services. “Items like Christmas lights, ribbons and electrical cords are hazards that can cause serious damage when tossed in blue carts. They tangle in sorting equipment, disrupt collection services and put workers at risk.”
Other hazardous items like batteries and electronics also often end up in the wrong bins. Lithium-ion batteries like the ones found in phones, laptops and vape devices can ignite if disposed of improperly. This year alone, The City has seen over 75 fires at waste and recycling facilities caused by improper battery disposal, resulting in costly damage and significant downtime.
Food scraps and real Christmas trees are also big contributors to the seasonal spike in waste. Each year, The City sees approximately 80,000 real trees discarded after the holidays. Composting turkey bones, vegetable peels and other holiday leftovers in your green cart helps reduce landfill waste and creates nutrient-rich compost. Real trees can also be chopped up, placed in your green cart or dropped off at designated sites between Dec. 26 and Jan. 31.
By prioritizing proper disposal and knowing what goes where, Calgarians can help reduce landfill waste and keep our communities safe during this holiday season.
Holiday waste sorting: know what goes where
- Blue cart: wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, paper gift bags (remove handles), bubble wrap, tin cans, glass jars and plastic containers.
- Green cart: plate scrapings, turkey bones, fruit peels, vegetable skins, food-soiled paper and chopped-up Christmas trees.
- Black cart: non-recyclable gift wrap (foil, metallic), ribbon, broken decorations, burned-out holiday lights and foam packaging.
- City Eco Centres: to prevent fires and protect your household, bring old gadgets, batteries and battery-containing devices to a City Eco Centre for safe recycling.
For sorting guidelines and tips, visit calgary.ca/holidaywaste.
Christmas tree composting
When the lights go out and the decorations come down, you have two options to compost your real tree:
- Green cart: cut into small pieces and place inside with the lid closed.
- Drop-off: bring undecorated trees to a designated drop-off location between Dec. 26, 2025 – Jan. 31, 2026. Visit calgary.ca/christmastree for locations.
Holiday collection schedule changes
Calgarians with regular Thursday pickup should note the following changes:
- Christmas Day collection moves to Monday, Dec. 22
- New Year’s Day collection moves to Monday, Dec. 29
- Regular Thursday pickup resumes Jan. 8
Stay updated and set reminders at calgary.ca/cartschedule or download the Garbage Day app.
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For media inquiries about holiday fire safety or battery fires, please contact:
Alex Kwan
(He/Him)
Public Information Officer
Calgary Fire Department
City of Calgary
Alex.Kwan@calgary.ca
403.988.7922
All other media inquiries can be directed to City of Calgary Media Relations.