And Valentine’s Day sentimentality fails to last long for many, as 10% will throw away a card either on the day or the day after receiving it.
“Valentine’s Day is the second-biggest holiday for giving out cards after Christmas, and we need to make sure we are being ‘green’ on the day, as well as the traditional red," said Samantha Upham, senior sustainability manager at DS Smith,.
“If you’re unsure about what to do with your Valentine’s Day packaging or unwanted gifts, look up your local recycling rules and bin collection schedules.
A large majority, totalling 81% of respondents, believe celebrations like birthdays, Christmas and Valentine’s Day are a negative contributor to environmental waste.
But of these, 28% admit they will most likely put the cards they receive in waste bins rather than recycling them correctly or keeping them, leading to 6.6 million ending up in landfill.
