Question:
Are candy wrappers muktzah? If they are, what should one do if a small child or adult family member hands one to you to throw in the garbage? May you take it to throw it?
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
Used candy wrappers that are no longer useable, is considered like a broken unusable item, and it becomes muktza on Shabbos after they are separated from the candy. The person who is holding the muktza from before it became muktza, may put it in the garbage, however, to give it to put in the garbage would not be allowed, (they should do self-service!). Alternatively, the person can, put the wrapper in a napkin or plate that has some food on it, and then you can take it to the garbage. If the circumstances are such that the wrapper is a graf shel rei, (disgusting to the degree that it disturbs your using the area) then it would be permitted to take it to the garbage, however this is not very common.
Best wishes
Sources:
חוט שני (ח”ג פרק נ”א ס”ק א’ [עמ’ ק”ה]) – “עטיפות של סוכריות, כל זמן שמשמש לעטיפת הסוכריה אין הוא מוקצה, אך כאשר כבר אינו משמש כעטיפה, אם אין לזה שימוש אחר הרי זה מוקצה, ואם יש לזה שימוש אחר [אפילו להחזיקו ולמששו בידו] אין הוא מוקצה”. וכן מאור השבת ח”ב עמ’ תקס”ג בשם ר’ ש”ז אוירבך זצ”ל, הל’ שבת בשבת פרק כ’ הע’ ע”ד, אשרי האיש או”ח ח”ב פרק י”ז אות צ’ בשם הגריש”א זצ”ל, שלמי יהונתן (ח”ג פרק ה’ סעי’ צ”ז.
