Des Plaines offers recycling for old holiday lights

The Des Plaines public works and engineering department and the Des Plaines Deep Green Committee will offer free holiday light recycling throughout December, January and February. Starting this week, residents may bring their old, unusable holiday lights to the public works facility, 1111 Joseph J. Schwab (Campground) Road or city hall, 1420 Miner St., between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A variety of lights, including C7, C9, rope, mini-lights (Italian lights), LED, and even extension cords will be accepted. Light strands connected to wreaths, garlands, or other material will not be accepted. All lights will be collected by ACME Refining, which will recycle the copper and plastic materials. Each resident may drop off only two 25-foot strands or equivalent length of lights at city hall. For information, call (847) 391-5464.