Thanksgiving is almost upon us! Here is a quick possible checklist for Thanksgiving recycling and composting! Obviously this will be for anything not eaten or washed (if reusable)!
Please use the results to determine how you want to begin! When shopping consider if an item will be recyclable, compostable, or trashed.
- Turkey
- Wrapper goes in trash.
- Bones, organs and meat go in compost unless you’re backyard composting.
- If you had ground turkey: plastic tub in recycling, and wrapper and meat pad in trash.
- If you had breasts/parts: Styrofoam tray to Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center and the meat pad and wrapper in the trash.
- Aluminum roasting pan goes in recycling (if applicable and food-free). You don’t have to soap and scrub, just rinse it off so no visible food remains.
- Ham or meat
- Wrapper goes in trash.
- Bones and meat go in compost unless you’re backyard composting.
- Aluminum roasting pan goes in recycling (if applicable and food-free). You don’t have to soap and scrub, just rinse it off so no visible food remains.
- Tofurky
- Wrapper goes in trash.
- Box goes in recycling.
- Leftover Tofurky goes in the compost.
- Sweet potatoes
- Compost.
- Recycle rinsed can(s).
- Coffee and tea
- Compost if grounds or tea bags.
- Consider getting a reusable K-cup type device if you use a cup machine.
- Coffee bean bags go in trash (these are typically paper lined in plastic and cannot be recycled).
- Fruit & Vegetables including pumpkins
- Compost leftover whole/fresh items.
- Recycle rinsed can(s) or plastic containers.
- Bags from frozen or fresh go in trash.
- Crispy Fried Onions (for Green Bean Casserole): The plastic tub and lid may go in the recycling cart. The re-closable bag goes in trash.
- Cranberry Sauce
- Recycle rinsed can(s).
- Bags from frozen or fresh go in trash.
- Pies
- Compost.
- Recycle rinsed aluminum pie tins and aluminum foil from pie-edge cooking. Roll rinsed-off aluminum foil into 2 inch balls. If the aluminum has food on it and it’s too hard to get off, throw it in the trash.
- Recycle pie boxes and rinsed plastic containers.
- Make sure any cardboard/paperboard containers for store-bought pies aren’t oil/food stained. If so, they go in the compost.
- Cookies
- Compost.
- Recycle plastic containers or compost your box if local. Take out any plastic windows first.
- Make sure any cardboard/paperboard containers for store-bought cookies aren’t oil stained. If so, they go in the compost.
- Ice Cream
- Paper-type cartons are plastic-coated paper and go in the trash.
- Plastic tubs and lids go in the recycling.
- Breads
- Compost.
- A bulk paper bag, or french loaf bag can be composted. Take out any plastic windows first.
- A standard plastic bread/rolls bag can be rinsed and recycled with other plastic bags.
- Stuffing
- Compost.
- Recycle any paper boxes.
- Trash any bags.
- Boxes/cartons of stock are a composite material so not recyclable and should be trashed.
- Gravy
- Compost. I have confirmation from the City’s vendor as of November 2019 that gravy is okay in the compost.
- Recycle any cans from milk-type products.
- Boxes/cartons of gravy are a composite material so not recyclable and should be trashed.
- Cooking fats, oils and grease:
- You can recycle containers of cooking fats, oil and greases at the Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center: http://www.austintexas.gov/dropoff.
- Cheese
- Cheese wrappers go in the trash.
- Most “wax” is plastic now so it goes in the trash too.
- Pans
- Recycle rinsed aluminum pans from cooking.
- Plate-ware
- Compost paper plates, bowls and cups.
- Recycle plastic plates, bowls and cups.
- Rinse and collect Styrofoam plates for the Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center.
- Don’t forget you can borrow dishes, cups and utensils from the Austin Dish Library. They may not be able to accommodate too many for Thanksgiving yet, but keep them in mind, or if you celebrate on a different date/time.
- Utensils
- Plastic in recycling.
- Bamboo in compost.
- Don’t forget second-hand/thrift stores have tons of utensils you can purchase to keep on hand for events. You can always donate them to the Austin Dish Library when you are done!
- Napkins
- Paper in compost.
- Cider
- Trash: paper-ish cider packets are lined with plastic so the material is a composite and not recyclable.
- Cocoa
- Trash: paper-ish packets are lined so the material is a composite and not recyclable.
Decorations like candles, Thanksgiving decor, etc. that you may not want any longer may be donated to your favorite charity, thrift store or Austin Creative Reuse if none of your neighbors want them.
I hope this is helpful! Have a wonderful holiday!