Local authorities across the country have organised facilities for recycling Christmas trees free of charge.

Information on the facilities can be found on local authorities’ websites.

Christmas trees can be mulched, and used for compost.

Artificial trees, however, cannot be recycled, and are destined for landfill.

Of course, trees are not the only leftover waste after Christmas, and much of it can be recycled.

The list was compiled last winter as part of the Waste Recycling Ambassadors Campaign, which aims to eliminate confusion over what can and cannot be put into a recycle bin.

Rigid plastics such as plastic milk cartons, fruit and vegetable trays and plastic drink bottles are suitable for recycling. Tins and cans, as well as paper and cardboard items, are also suitable for recycling.

Items not suitable for recycling include takeaway coffee cups, plastic carrier bags, soft plastics such as wrappers, paper towels, and used pizza boxes.

All items should be clean and dry before being placed into recycling bins, and should be loose – do not place items inside each other, as this makes sorting more difficult at recycling centres.

Mindy O’Brien from environmental group VOICE spoke to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland about reducing waste after Christmas.

She urged people to take glass bottles to their local bottle bank, and said if the facilities are full, which they often are at this time of year, take your bottles home and try again at a later date.

She also suggested that people could reduce their waste by using reusable gift bags instead of wrapping paper, and called on people to include reducing plastic in their new year resolutions.