Addison Park District is a Collection Site for Recycled Holiday Lights
The Addison Park District is teaming up with Elgin Recycling for a Holiday Lights Recycling Program. The recycling program will run from Friday, December 2, 2011 until Friday, January 20, 2012, with 2 drop off locations at Community Rec Center, 120 E. Oak Street, and Club Fitness/Centennial Rec Center, 1776 W. Centennial Place. Residents can drop off their old holiday lights at either Rec Center during normal operating hours. Lights that will be accepted for this program are: mini-lights (or Italian lights), C7 lights, C9 lights, rope lights, LED lights and extension cords.
“With environmental stewardship as one of the core values of the Addison Park District, it seemed like an ideal partnership teaming up 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.”
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.
More than 51,000 pounds of holiday lights were recycled in 2010 through the Holiday Lights Recycling Program. “we believe in what we do, and way a need for a program like this,” said Brittany Conroy, Environmental Director of Elgin Recycling. “Last year was a great success, being able to keep that many pounds of waste out of landfills,” Conroy added. With the anticipated increase in participation from last year, the collective goal for the program 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.