Why should you never throw out Christmas lights or decorations?

Now that Christmas and New Year came and went, we all face a decision: what to do with our Christmas decorations? If you are someone who throws them away and buys more each year, you have to know that you are doing a lot of damage to the environment.

Some leave the ornaments until well into January and others dismantle them as soon as Christmas ends. No matter what you do, it is important that the recycle, because some of them can take up to 200 years to degrade, causing a strong environmental impact in the process.

The main reason why they have such a long life is because most are made of plastic, which can take about 60 years to decompose. The longest lasting (more than two centuries) are made of brass, copper or aluminum.

So, what can we do to reduce the environmental impact of ornaments? According to the dedicated environmental group Planet Ark of Sydney, Australia there are several options. The best thing would be to reuse them in subsequent years or, failing that, exchange them with friends or family.

In case you should get rid of them, what this group recommends is that the lights are not deposited with the rest of the garbage, it is best to separate them for a later recycling with some companies that are dedicated to receive metals or electronic equipment.

With these tips, you can contribute to a world increasingly free of plastic waste, of which millions of tons are generated every year. Fortunately, some sustainable alternatives are appearing.

Starting with small steps, you can also be part of the change.

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Reference:
GreenScreen Media