With the holidays behind us, it’s time to start thinking about taking down those beautiful lights adorning the outside of your home. If you find yourself stuck with burned-out light strands that are ready for the trash, don’t throw ’em out! Instead, recycle them through the Seattle Public Utilities “Holiday Light Recycling Program”. From now through January 15, if you take your old light strands to the following nearby locations, they’ll recycle the copper wire inside them:
Whole Foods Market – all locations
Northgate Mall
Most of those locations will accept lights until at least January 15. Call first when possible to confirm they are taking the lights and find out exactly where the bin is located.
And while we’re on the subject of recycling, you can recycle your real, non-tinseled, non-flocked Christmas tree and/or wreath for free now through January 9. This service is free to Seattle residents who subscribe to curbside yard waste collection. According to the Seattle Utilities website:
The trees need to be cut to sections six feet long or shorter, with branches trimmed to less than four feet to fit into the collection trucks. Sections should be bundled with string or twine. Multi-family buildings can put out one tree next to each yard waste cart at no extra charge.
Plastic trees, trees and wreaths with tinsel and decorations, and flocked trees are not recyclable and will be collected as extra garbage. Customers will need to cut decorated/extra garbage trees into three-foot pieces and each piece will be charged as extra garbage. Starting January 1, each unit of extra garbage will cost $8.10.
Seattle residents can also drop off their holiday trees and wreaths for free at Seattle Public Utilities’ North and South Recycling and Disposal stations through Jan. 9, 2011. The tree sections must be cut to eight feet or less in length and the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. The limit is three trees per vehicle. Only trees without flocking or decoration may be disposed free of charge.
The North Recycling and Disposal Station is located at North 34th Street and Carr Place North. Except for Christmas and New Year’s Day, the stations are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Yay! Great tip. I was wondering what to do with dozens of old strands that I no longer use. Thanks for doing the research and finding a green solution.