One of the things we associate with the festive season is rich, indulgent treats. But once the holiday season has come to an end, many people find themselves wondering how they should dispose of leftover packaging. For example, can candy wrappers be recycled, and how?

The answer is “it depends”. Many of our favorite sweet treats come in wrappers that are destined to end up in landfill, even when dutifully put in the recycling bin. This is because unlike bottles and cans, which are most often based on a single material, confectionary wrappers are frequently made out of a mix of aluminium and plastic which need to be separated before they can be recycled. While technically possible, this is an energy-intensive process that few recyclers will undertake.