Eco-Friendly Sorting Tips for Valentine’s Day

Here are a few tips to help you sort common waste items generated during this holiday:

• Candy wrappers and gift basket packaging
  All wrappers (even chip bags!) go in the recycling bin. Since January 1, 2025, all packaging, containers, and printed material go in the blue bin. No need to check the number on the packaging or see if it stretches!
• Paper lollipop sticks
  Soiled paper and cardboard can be composted. Compost them through the food waste collection! 
• Balloons and garlands
  These go in the garbage because they are neither containers, nor packaging, nor printed material.
  Tip: Small decorations can be brought to the small-item recovery island at the Westmount Recreation Centre!
• Greeting cards and lottery tickets
  Even if they are shiny or textured, these go in the recycling bin because they are printed materials! 
• Flowers
  Compost them through the food waste collection! Be sure to first throw away any rubber bands in the garbage, and put packaging in the recycling bin. 
• Candy surplus
  Avoid waste! Freeze your candy or use leftovers in your sweet recipes (cookies, cupcakes, popcorn or nut mixes). As a last resort, compost them.

Be aware of items containing batteries! Musical greeting cards and electronic stuffed animals, for example, contain batteries that should never be put in your bins. Take them to the nearest ecocentre or the small-item recovery island at the Westmount Recreation Centre.

Looking for answers to your sorting questions for other items? Consult the "Ça va où" tool to find out where things should go! 

Happy Valentine's Day!