Photo by Vecteezy

Dec. 24. The countdown is on until someone in your family accepts responsibility for the worst chore of all holiday chores – cleaning up on Christmas morning. Mecklenburg County is reminding residents that they can keep holiday waste out of landfills by dropping off approved items at the North Mecklenburg Disposal and Recycling Center at 12300 Statesville Road in Huntersville.

Residents can drop off the following:

• Christmas trees (without any decorations): Residents may drop off up to two natural Christmas trees at no cost. Residents can dispose of one artificial tree for free.
• Natural wreaths (without any decorations): These are considered yard waste.
• Plain wrapping paper and cards (no glitter or foil)
• Cardboard
• White rigid foam, commonly found in packaging for TVs and electronics
• Textiles, including clothing, shoes, accessories, pillows, sheets and towels
• Food scraps

Not all holiday and household items are recyclable. These items should be placed in the trash or repurposed:

• Ribbons and bows
• Decorative wrapping paper or gift bags (glossy, metallic, with glitter, etc.)
• Plastic packaging (other than white rigid foam)

Residents should drop off any items containing these batteries or the batteries themselves to full-service or staffed recycling centers. Batteries can catch on fire and should never be placed in the trash or recycling bins.