The Christmas festive season brings much delight and celebration, but there is also a darker side (and we're not just discussing the longer nights). The Christmas festive season brings with it a rise in foam waste production each year. Various product foam packaging, the holiday festivities can generate an overwhelming quantity of foam waste, typically without us realizing the significant impact.

This blog explores truths regarding Christmas foam waste, giving insights and sensible suggestions on how to celebrate in a more sustainable way.

Alarming Christmas Foam Waste Stats

Were you aware that the UK typically generates an estimated Eight hundred thousand tonnes of foam waste during the Christmas festive period? This staggering amount results from increased food consumption and the higher volume of foam packaging and decorations used during Christmas. Christmas contributes to a significant spike in overall foam waste, producing about 30% more than other times of the year. This surge in foam waste has far-reaching environmental consequences, contributing to landfill issues and the degradation of natural resources.

Wrapping Paper and Gift Foam Packaging Waste

The thrill of unwrapping presents is a magical moment of Christmas, but sadly, it too can come at a cost. The UK uses a staggering 227,000 miles of wrapping paper every Christmas season. This enormous amount of paper and other foam packaging waste significantly contributes to holiday waste.

Let's examine the specifics of wrapping paper usage, sellotape and gift foam packaging, and the importance of recycling foam packaging waste and wrapping paper.

Wrapping paper usage

A UK household typically uses four rolls of wrapping paper each during the Christmas season. If laid end to end, the amount of wrapping paper used for Christmas presents from the UK alone could circle the globe nine times.

To minimise the environmental impact, consider using alternatives like brown paper, newspapers, or fabric wraps. These options help minimise waste and also provide a unique touch to your presents. Being mindful of wrapping paper usage can significantly reduce holiday waste.

Gift Foam Packaging Waste

During Christmas, the UK uses around 1 million foam boxes for gift packaging. This extensive use of foam boxes, along with the waste generated from gift packaging, adds to the overall environmental burden. In 2018, approximately 114,00 tonnes of Christmas foam packaging were disposed of in general waste.

GREENMAX Foam Packaging Waste and Wrapping Paper Recycling Solutions

GREENMAX provides reliable balers that can easily reduce the volume of wrapping paper by 95% and turn it into compact blocks, which can be sold to recyclers to generate income.

At the same time, GREENMAX also provides mature and advanced foam packaging waste recycling machines that can compress foam packaging at a volume ratio of 50:1. These compressed foam blocks are directly sold to GREENMAX, and we will make these waste foams into decorative lines such as photo frames and skirtings.

Summary

The festive season brings huge amounts of joy and celebration, but it also comes with hidden environmental and financial costs. By understanding the impact of Christmas waste and adopting sustainable practices, we can reduce our footprint and make the holidays and the run up to them, more sustainable.

From recycling wrapping paper to choosing sustainable gifts, every small step counts. Let's make this Christmas not just a time of giving, but also a time of giving back to our planet and building a future a few shades greener.

If you'd like help with your waste streams at Christmas, speak to one of our team today.