Holiday Recycling

ecomaine says wrapping paper, packing material and gift boxes doesn't have to be thrown away. The holiday season is about family, friends and the spirit of giving. But left in the wake of all the good cheer are mounds and mounds of strewn wrapping paper, packing material, cardboard, and gift boxes of all shapes and sizes.  You may also recycle this paper through the Windham Recycles curbside pickup program.

Holiday Recycling Tips

Think of holiday recycling of your paper and boxes can as a holiday gift to the environment."Ecomaine" offers the following facts, tips and guidelines for dealing with the aftermath of holiday celebrations:

  • All holiday wrapping paper is recyclable, except those made with foil or glitter. 
  • Shirt boxes, gift boxes and corrugated cardboard boxes are all recyclable.
  • Styrofoam is not recyclable. However, most commercial mailing centers (Mail Boxes Etc., Package Plus, and UPS stores) accept Styrofoam peanuts for re-use. Please call ahead to make sure. Molded Styrofoam must be discarded in the trash.
  • Wrapping paper or any plastic materials should never be burned in a fireplace or wood stove because of environmental concerns.

Additional Information

For additional information, persons may call 871-SORT at ecomaine or visit the ecomaine website to find the location of the nearest ecomaine recycling container.

For those who are especially interested in what happens to the non-recyclable, post-holiday materials that get thrown in the trash, ecomaine offers tours of its waste-to-energy facility on Blueberry Road in Portland to groups from its member towns and cities. Call 773-6465 to schedule a tour.