THOUSANDS of trees could be saved by recycling Christmas cards once the festivities are over.Suffolk County Council is urging people not to bin their cards but to use them to help save trees and raise cash to help protect and create woodland.

THOUSANDS of trees could be saved by recycling Christmas cards once the festivities are over.

Suffolk County Council is urging people not to bin their cards but to use them to help save trees and raise cash to help protect and create woodland.

Cards can be recycled at Suffolk County Council's household waste and recycling centres, which will be open 8am-4pm from January 2.

They can also be taken to special recycling bins at WHSmith and Tesco from January 5 as part of a national campaign involving Rethink Rubbish and the Woodland Trust.

Card recycling can play a huge part in reducing the three million tonnes of household waste that is likely to be generated in the UK this Christmas.

Last year 40 million cards – around 800 tonnes – were collected and recycled by the scheme. These helped to save 13,600 trees, and it is hoped even more will be collected this year.

For further information about the campaign, visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk and www.rethinkrubbish.com

Factfile: Survey by Rethink Rubbish

N 95 per cent of people will send cards this year.

N 70pc only keep in touch with far-flung friends once a year at Christmas via their cards.

N 47pc will send some email cards this year.

N 30pc of us wait until the last posting date to send our cards.

N 27pc of us will receive more than 40 Christmas cards.