The Unseen Challenge: Why Glitter is a Recycling Obstacle
Glitter, found adorning everything from festive wrapping paper to greeting cards, presents a considerable hurdle to effective recycling. While its sparkle might be appealing, its composition makes it a recycling nightmare, often leading to contamination that undermines the hard work of both consumers and recycling facilities.
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At DS Smith, we are committed to creating a more sustainable future. As a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, we understand the intricate challenges faced by local authorities and waste management professionals who are on the front lines of the UK's recycling efforts. Our mission is to design out waste, and to keep products and materials in use for longer. This commitment drives our continuous research and innovation in recyclability, and it’s why we want to shed light on a seemingly small, yet significant, issue that impacts our collective goals: glitter.
The Microplastic Problem
We know that the devil is often in the details. Most glitter is, in essence, a microplastic – tiny pieces of plastic, typically less than 5mm, often made from etched aluminium bonded to a plastic film [1]. Their minute size and material composition make them incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to separate from paper and cardboard during the recycling process.
When items containing glitter enter the recycling stream, these microplastics act as contaminants. They degrade the quality of the recycled pulp, making it harder to produce new, high-quality paper and packaging products. In many cases, the presence of glitter can lead to entire batches of otherwise recyclable materials being rejected and diverted to landfill or incineration.
At DS Smith, we are acutely aware of the need to design packaging that is not only functional but also fully recyclable and sustainable, ensuring that materials can be kept in circulation for as long as possible. The challenge posed by glitter highlights the importance of designing out non-recyclable elements from the very beginning.
Operational Impact on Local Authorities
Our experts at DS Smith regularly analyse waste streams and work closely with local authorities and recycling facilities. We see firsthand the operational challenges that glitter creates. Sorting machinery is simply not designed to capture or remove such small, pervasive particles. This means that valuable resources – time, energy, and infrastructure – are spent on processing materials that ultimately cannot be fully recycled due to glitter contamination.
Our Senior Sustainability Manager, Samantha Upham, has previously highlighted that the UK generates a staggering amount of card packaging waste, particularly during peak seasons like Christmas and Valentine's Day. Our research indicates that over a quarter of this packaging was not recycled in 2023 [2]. When items like glitter-laden wrapping paper and cards enter the system, they contribute to this non-recycled volume, making it harder for local authorities to meet their recycling targets and manage waste efficiently. We believe that clear, consistent messaging is crucial in understanding these nuances.
Our Practical Advice for a Glitter-Free Future
At DS Smith, we advocate for practical solutions that empower both businesses and consumers to make more sustainable choices. We believe that by working together, we can significantly reduce the amount of non-recyclable materials entering the waste stream.
- The "Scrunch Test": We champion the "scrunch test" as a quick and effective way for consumers to determine if wrapping paper is recyclable. If the paper stays scrunched when crumpled, it's likely plastic-free and recyclable. If it springs back, it probably contains plastic or glitter and should be kept out of the recycling bin. This simple test, promoted widely, can make a real difference.
- Choose Glitter-Free Products: Seek out and purchase wrapping paper, greeting cards, and other decorative items that are explicitly labelled as recyclable or, ideally, are entirely free of glitter and other non-recyclable embellishments. The market is increasingly offering more sustainable alternatives, and consumer demand can further drive this shift.
Follow these easy tips for a sustainable Halloween - Embrace Reuse and Repurpose. For greeting cards, consumers should remove any non-recyclable elements like glitter or plastic badges before recycling the plain card material. If you do receive cards adorned with glitter, repurpose them for craft projects or gift tags for future use [3].
- Always Check Local Recycling Guidelines. While general principles apply, specific recycling rules can vary by local authority. We encourage local authorities to clearly communicate their specific guidelines, and residents to check their council's website for detailed information on accepted materials and collection schedules.
Follow these easy tips for a more sustainable Halloween
A Collaborative Path to a Circular Economy
The issue of glitter is a clear example of how small design choices can have a disproportionate impact on the entire recycling ecosystem. By making small changes and different choices to our choices and celebrations, we can ensure that we don’t contribute to unnecessary waste, fostering a truly circular future where more materials are kept in use and out of our landfills.
Sources:
1. Analysis: How decorative glitter contributes to microplastic pollution. PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/analysis-how-decorative-glitter-contributes-to-microplastic-pollution
2. DS Smith. ‘Tis the Season to Be Recycling’ – Top Tips to Reduce Festive Waste. https://www.dssmith.com/media/our-stories/2024/12/christmas-recycling-tips
3.DS Smith. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Discarded. https://www.dssmith.com/media/our-stories/2025/2/signed-sealed-delivered-discarded