Wheaton Partners With Elgin Firm for Holiday Lights Recycling

You know which ones they are — they’re the old kind of strands that, when you plug them in and one bulb burns out, you spend a could 30 minutes testing each bulb until the lights come on once more.

Or perhaps they’re new lights, but the cat or dog has tried chewing on the strand once too often.

Either way, it’s time to toss them out and replace them. Wait — toss them out? How about recycling instead?

That’s the goal of a program the city of Wheaton intends to launch before Thanksgiving this year in an effort to keep those strands of lights out of landfills.

According to a release the city posted on its website, once again, Wheaton is partnering with Elgin Recycling to provide the free program.

Beginning Nov. 25, 2013, the city will open the Wheaton Public Works Storage Facility, 820 W. Liberty Drive, as a drop-off site where residents can come to dispose of strands of incandescent or LED lights and extension cords in any condition.

Drop-offs can be made between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays. Watch for signs directing you to the holiday light recycling area just inside the gate. The program is open to residents, businesses, schools and other organizations. There is no limit on the number of lights you can drop off for recycling.

The Public Works Department will accept lights for recycling through Feb. 10, 2014.

The lights will be stripped to recycle their copper and plastic parts. No materials will be shipped overseas.