Easter 2024

Most of the packaging surrounding Easter eggs can now be recycled, including the cardboard, the plastic moulds, and the foil. However, lots of energy and resources still go into producing that packaging, so it is worth looking for options that use less packaging if you can.

Remember, you can flatten cardboard so that it takes up less space in your recycling bin. You can gather all your foil together and scrunch it into a ball, (or egg) to ensure it’s large enough to be captured by the machinery. The clear plastic moulds, that sometimes surround the egg, can also be recycled from home.

Unfortunately, we can’t accept the plastic bags containing small mini eggs, sweet wrappers, biscuit wrappers, or chocolate bar wrappers. However, these can be taken to one of over 4,000 supermarkets across the UK that now accept plastic wrappings. For further information and to check where you can take yours, see repeat-the-cycle | recyclenow.com.

If you’d like a reminder of what you can recycle from home, see our recycling page, where you can find a wealth of information, including items accepted for recycling. There is also a pdf guide that you can download.

Contents

• Easter cards
• Easter flowers
• Composting
• Easter food
• Easter fun

Easter cards

If you send or give Easter cards, it’s worth checking whether they are recyclable when buying them. You may have noticed that many cards are no longer sold with the protective plastic single-use film surrounding them. They will often be labelled clearly as fully recyclable which can be helpful when making our purchases.

If it isn’t completely clear, avoid cards with any additional embellishments or metallic finishes as this will make them unsuitable for recycling.

With postage being so expensive, you could consider sending cards electronically. There are plenty of e-card options available, and some of which are free to use.

If you’re posting gifts, then remember to reuse packaging where you can. You can use shredded paper in parcels to help protect the items in transit.

Easter flowers

If you’re given some flowers at Easter, once past their best, don’t put them in your general waste, either compost them at home or place them in your garden waste collection. This way they continue to add value.

Composting

Easter is particularly early this year, but spring is also a perfect time for emptying out your compost bin. If you don’t already compost at home, then it’s a perfect time to start. Composting at home is an excellent way of using your kitchen peelings and garden pruning’s, to make a valuable resource for your garden.

By composting at home, you’re improving the health and nutrition of your soil, conserving water, reducing soil erosion, and reducing the need to add chemicals to manage pests and diseases. We have a wealth of information on our Home Composting page, as well as a variety of pre-recorded videos to help guide you on your way. You can find the videos under talks-to-community-groups/.

Easter food

As with other seasonal celebrations, Easter is a time when we often treat ourselves and celebrate with a big meal for family and friends. You can find some great Easter recipes for inspiration, at Easter | BBC Good Food.com. Information on making the most of the foods you have, without causing waste, can be found at Love Food Hate Waste, including:

• Storing your foods appropriately to keep them fresher for longer with the A-Z of Food Storage. It’s also worth following any advice provided on packaging too.
• Make good use of your fridge and freezer by making sure they are set at the right temperature. Take a look at the handy guide.
• Meal planning and portioning is a good way of minimising waste and making the most of the foods we have available to us. They have a useful portion planner to help.

The Food Standards Agency also provide information on freezing and defrosting food safely and on understanding date labels.

Easter fun

Easter is a great time for family fun. See below for some creative activities for getting the children involved, including:

• Making and decorating your own striped chocolate Easter eggs |BBC Good Food.
• Organise your own Easter egg hunt.
• Make naturally-dyed Easter eggs |YouTube using household foods, such as red cabbage, coffee and turmeric.
• If you don’t want to decorate real eggs, why not have a go at decorating ceramic eggs which you can purchase at craft stores. They can be displayed in the home around Easter time for years to come.
• Use up excess chocolate in this yummy, easy, no-cook recipe for Leftover chocolate refrigerator cake| LFHW.