SWANCC suburbs offer holiday light recycling
Many communities that are members of the of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County are hosting a drop-off for residents to bring old or burned out lights. This program is for a limited time and has no cost to residents.
Elgin Recycling, the company that offers this program, accepts all holiday string lighting and extension cords, which can be dropped off at various locations. Garland, live greens, wreaths or other nonrecyclables are not accepted in this program.
The following communities have drop-off locations: Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Hoffman Estates, Kenilworth, Lincolnwood, Mount Prospect, Niles, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, Skokie, Wheeling, Wilmette and Winnetka. The exact locations and drop-off hours can be found at swancc.org.
"Every year, residents find themselves purchasing new strands of lights due to burned out bulbs, incomplete strands, wanting a different color, etc. Through this recycling program, materials will be reclaimed, reprocessed, made into new products and kept out of the landfills - making the Season much brighter," said Mary Allen, SWANCC's Recycling and Education director.
The strands are separated and baled and sent to be chopped or shredded and sold as a commodity to foundries and mills in the United States.
Drop-off locations:
• Arlington Heights Public Works, 222 N. Ridge Ave., (847) 368-5800, M-F: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., through Feb. 26.
• Arlington Heights Village Hall Health Department, 33 S. Arlington Heights Road, (847) 368-5760, M-F: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Feb. 26.
• Barrington Public Works, 300 N. Raymond Ave., (847) 381-7903, 24-hour outside drop-off at the office entrance through March 31.
• Buffalo Grove Village Hall, 50 Raupp Blvd., (847) 459-2530, M: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., T-F: 8 to 4:30 p.m., through March 31.
• Buffalo Grove Police Department, 46 Raupp Blvd., (847) 459-2560, 24-hour drop-off through March 31.
• Elk Grove Village Community Development Counter, 901 Wellington Ave., (847) 357-4220, M-F: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., through March 31.
• Hoffman Estates Village Hall Lobby, 1900 Hassell Road, (847) 882-9100, M-F: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., through Feb. 5.
• Mount Prospect Public Works, 1700 W Central Road, (847) 870-5640, M-F: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Feb. 29.
• Prospect Heights City Hall, 8 N. Elmhurst Road, (847) 398-6070, M-F: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., through March 1.
• Rolling Meadows, 3600 Kirchoff Road, (847) 394-8500, 24-hour outside drop-off at City Hall entrance through Feb. 12.
• Wheeling Public Works, 77 W Hintz Road, (847) 279-6900, M-F: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., through Feb. 29.