SAN ANTONIO - From leftovers to packing materials, recycling might be the last thing on our minds during the hustle of the holidays.

• Last December nearly 6,000 tons of recyclable materials were collected
• Online shopping and deliveries contribute to increase in cardboard

However, it could be one of the most important times of the year to be precise on what goes where. We spent some time with Marcus Lee from the city's Sold Waste Management Department.

"December is always the highest amount of tonnage for recycling over any other month of the year," Lee said.

Last December, they collected nearly 6,000 tons of recyclable materials. That total is an increase of more than 1,200 tons compared to what they usually bring in during other months.

Lee said online shopping and deliveries probably have a lot to with the amount of cardboard coming in.

When you open your boxes, watch out for where you throw away styrofoam and packing peanuts, they're a no go for the recycle cart.

"Our men and women have it down to a science. We do take clean glass bottles and jars, but if you do have a glass ornament maybe on your tree, we do not take that," said Lee.

Some of the most common items shipped in the mail and placed under the tree are boxes of toys. For a lot of people, it can be tricky to remember where to throw away the package.

"The cardboard box of the packaging is recyclable we do want that but if they're held together with wire, or if they come with a hard plastic cover, that's trash," said Lee.

When it comes to other carts, like the green one for organics, Lee said there's a simple way to remember.

"We have a saying that if a worm can't eat it, it doesn't go in the green cart," Lee said.

Leftover food scraps and even the leaves you raked before the guests came, they also go in the green cart.

Lee said at the end of the day if you're still totally clueless about which cart to put it in, he said it's best to not guess, instead just throw it away.

"If you don't recycle it, where does it go? It goes to the landfill. It stays in the landfill forever in perpetuity and Texas is a big state, but at some point we're going to run out of space to dig big holes and bury trash. That's just not sustainable," he said.

For more information on recycling and collection, visit the City of San Antonio's website.