NATCHEZ — After the presents are opened and the mounds of wrapping paper and empty cardboard boxes have been collected for the trash bin, the first question for city residents on the day after Christmas may be, “Is any of this trash recyclable?”

The short answer to the question is “Yes, but not everything,” said Natchez City Planner and Community Alliance member Riccardo Giani.

Thursday morning, Arrow Disposal will be collecting recycling in the city limits. Much of what is opened under the Christmas tree can be recycled, Giani said.

“The cardboard boxes are definitely recyclable,” Giani said. “That is where the money is in recycling.”

The most important thing is to break the boxes down so that they are flat. Boxes heavily taped with packing tape will require having the tape taken off. Otherwise, a little tape is OK.

Giani said packing materials made from plastic and Styrofoam, such as bubble wrap and foam blankets are not recyclable.

As for the wrapping paper, Giani said most wrapping paper is recyclable, as long as it is paper and does not contain metallic foils, glitter or has a velvet finish.

“If you have a question about whether it is recyclable or not, I would throw it away in the regular trash,” Giani said.

Wrappings and gift bags that are made from plastic are not recyclable. Bows and ribbons are also not recyclable and can get tangled in the equipment used by recyclers.

The good news is that a bow is the easiest Christmas item to reuse for another gift rather than recycle, Giani said.