It happens to the best of us — we go to hang our holiday lights only to find that they no longer work. Trying to find the burned-out bulb or shorted fuse is time consuming and frustrating, and often times strands of incandescent lights just go bad after a few uses.
So what do you do with your old holiday lights? Before you drop them into your trashcan and forget about them, consider recycling them instead. Not only will this keep electronic waste out of the landfill, but old holiday light strands can typically be ground down to particles that are divided by type (usually pvc, glass and copper) and used in other applications.
Not sure where to get started? Check with your city, town or municipality for recycling guidelines in locations. If you’re in the Chicago area, for example, Naperville offers four light recycling locations in partnership with Elgin Recycling. A complete list can be found here, courtesy of the Naperville Sun.
And if you’d like to plan early for next year, Home Depot typically offers a holiday light trade-in during the first part of November. Not only can you drop off your old lights for recycling, but you can receive discounts on a new LED light set.
Have you recycled holiday lights in your area? If so, where did you go?
Photo credit: Flickr.com/trekkyandy
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