Holiday lights recycling at Addison Park District

The Addison Park District has teamed up once again with Elgin Recycling to keep your holiday lights out of area landfills. The Holiday Lights Recycling program will run from Friday, November 22, 2013 until Monday, January 17, 2014, with drop off locations at all Park District facilities. Residents can bring in non-working holiday lights such as: mini-lights (or Italian lights), C7 lights, C9 lights, rope lights, LED lights and extension cords.

Year after year residents find themselves testing bulbs and replacing fuses, and when that doesn't work the lights often end up in the garbage. With this program, Addison Park District can now divert all holiday lights that would normally end up in a landfill, as recycled goods. One strand of lights here and there may seem as though it doesn't help but these small contributions have helped Elgin Recycling efforts be extremely successful in recent years.

“With environmental stewardship as one of the core values of the Addison Park District, this is an ideal partnership with Elgin Recycling,” said Geri Estvanik, Park District Green Committee chairperson. “Community members are welcome to bring in strands of lights that are in working or non-working order from any holiday.”

More than 51,000 pounds of holiday lights were recycled last year through Elgin Recycling. Environmental Director of Elgin Recycling, Brittany Conroy, praised the program stating “Last year was a great success, being able to keep that many pounds of waste out of landfills.” With the anticipated increase in participation each year, the collective goal for 2013-14 is 100,000 pounds of recycled lights.

For more information about The Holiday Lights Recycling Program, please visit www.addisonparks.org or track the Park District's progress at www.elginrecycling.com.