DID you know that Christmas is the most wasteful time of the year?

There are many concerning facts about the impact of Christmas. The UK uses 300,000 tonnes of card, and 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging go to landfill.

A typical household generates three black bags of packaging each Christmas.

Glitter on cards and wrapping paper can clog up recycling machines and contaminate other recycling.

Before you recycle, remove all bows, ribbons and sticky tape. If you are unsure of whether your paper is suitable, scrunch it up - if it springs back, it contains plastic.

Christmas jumpers are often made of synthetic materials and 50 per cent of these microfibres leak in the very first wash. Around 35 per cent of the microplastics contaminating the world’s oceans come from washing our clothes. Natural fibres are much kinder for the environment.

Here in the UK we throw away 54 million platefuls of food over the holiday. Be realistic over how much food you need and use up leftovers. Seven out of 10 people admit to buying more food than they need over Christmas and New Year.

Try to use local suppliers and buy loose vegetables and fruit whenever possible because plastic packaging makes up 70 per cent of the plastic waste.

Avoid clingfilm and use baking paper, waxed wraps and re-useable glass containers. Try to buy drinks in glass not plastic bottles that can be reused or recycled.

Around 500 tonnes of Christmas tree lights are thrown away each year. LED lights last longer and use far less power.

A total of 160,000 tonnes of trees are disposed of each January. Rotting trees produce methane which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

An artificial tree needs to be used for about 10 years for its environmental impact to be lower than a real tree. Christmas trees can now be rented and returned in January.

Each year around £4-billion is spent on unwanted gifts which represents over 60 million unwanted presents every year. These can be donated to charity shops.

Have a happy and eco-friendly holiday and New Year.