Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Discarded

Valentine's Day responsible for over 6 million cards in landfill.

Valentine's Day will see more than six million cards end up in landfill or incineration, according to new research.

A new study from leading sustainable packaging company DS Smith found that 44% of Brits expect to receive at least one card on Valentine’s Day, but over a quarter (28%) admit they will put them in the general waste bin rather than recycling them correctly or keeping them. This equates to 6.6 million cards expected to end up in landfill or being incinerated.

The study found that of those lucky enough to have received a Valentines card, just under a third (31%) said they recycle them, whilst 1 in 10 (10%) will throw them away the same day or the day after receiving it.

However, cards aren’t the only Valentine’s-themed items to end up in the waste bin. One in three (34%) of those who expect to get a gift said they put flowers straight in the waste bin and just under 1 in 3 (30%) admit to incorrectly putting chocolate boxes (30%) in landfill.

Recycling rates in England have not improved in recent years, as the latest government figures show that just 44% of UK household waste is being recycled.

More positively, the research shows that attitudes towards waste are changing, as a large majority (81%) recognise that celebrations like birthdays, Christmas and Valentine’s Day are negative contributors to environmental waste.

This has led to more than 1 in 5 (22%) considering giving a digital card, instead of a physical one,

On recycling more broadly, two thirds (66%) of Brits think more should be done to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Despite this, only 28% consider themselves ‘very good’ at recycling, while 1 in 4 (24%) think instructions aren’t clear enough on packaging.

Couples need to watch out for their waste habits this Valentine’s Day, as over 2 in 5 (42%) say it would give them the ‘ick’ if their partner didn’t recycle.

If you’re unsure about what to do with their Valentine’s Day packaging or unwanted gifts, look up your local recycling rules and bin collection schedules to make sure materials are recycled rather than ending up in landfill.

TEN TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR RECYCLING HABITS THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

1. Flower Packaging –If possible, try to opt for flowers wrapped in paper. If you buy flowers with plastic film and can’t recycle it at home, check your local recycling guidelines about what you can take to local recycling centres, or check out recycling facilities at your local supermarket.
   
   
2. Wrapping paper– Not all wrapping paper is recyclable, some contains glitter, or has plastic coatings or attached materials which can contaminate the recycling process. If you’re not sure, do a ‘scrunch test’: crumple the paper, and if it stays scrunched up, it can be recycled. If it doesn’t stay crumpled it probably has too much plastic so often can’t be recycled.
   
   
3. Valentine’s cards – Much like wrapping paper, not all cards can be recycled. While plain card material is recyclable, cards with too much glitter, or plastic gems and badges are not. If you can remove these elements, the rest of the card can be recycled in accordance with your local recycling rules.
   
   
4. Chocolate boxes –These might seem tricky to recycle because they can be made up of a few different elements. However, many of these elements are recyclable, so follow your local recycling guidelines and separate them into the right bins to make sure as much as possible of the chocolate box is recycled.
   
   
5. Wrapping tape– Despite common beliefs, not all tape needs to be removed from paper and card before recycling, but the less on there, the better. Paper-based tape, which is still strong and sticky - is recyclable and can be left on wrapping paper and cardboard. However, any plastic tape should be taken off if possible and disposed of separately.
   
   
6. Gift boxes/bags– Leftover gift boxes and bags from your special someone should ideally be reused for future gifting. If you don’t have the storage space, break them down to save space in your bins and make recycling easier.
   
   
7. Glass bottles – Once you’ve finished off any glass bottles, like wine or your non-alcoholic tipple of choice, remember to rinse out the bottles before putting them in your glass recycling. Alternatively, you can keep them to reuse as candlestick holders.
   
   
8. Confetti – If the confetti is made of paper, it can be recycled, but avoid putting metallic or glittery confetti in the recycling bin.
   
   
9. Jewellery boxes: For those lucky enough to receive jewellery this Valentine’s Day, boxes can sometimes be recycled, but this depends on local recycling facilities. As with chocolate boxes, if the box is made up of several different materials, you can separate them out as advised by your local recycling guidelines. An easier and more romantic option would be to keep for the memories.
   
   
10. Teddy bears – Whilst teddy bears are meant to be for life, if you wish to get rid of your fluffy friend, you will likely not able to recycle at home or your local recycling centre. We recommend taking them down to your local charity shop or posting them on local reuse groups where you might find them a new home.