How to Recycle Christmas Lights

It’s that time of year – to untangle the Christmas lights. At this point, the garbage can looks mighty tempting, but there are more eco-friendly ways to recycle Christmas lights! Let’s walk through the different ways you can recycle Christmas tree lights that are better for the environment. 

Are Christmas Lights Recyclable? 

As people become more environmentally aware of their sustainability efforts, we see more and more people getting rid of their old compact fluorescent light (CFL) Christmas bulbs and strings. Consumers are looking to recycle Christmas lights from Christmases past and replace them with more environmentally conscious options.  LEDs are eco-friendly alternatives to CFLs and other types of lights that incur higher energy costs and have materials in them that are harmful to the Earth. 

Are you unsure of how to recycle Christmas lights? The expert team at Wall Recycling is here to help! Our residential recycling services company has all you need to know about recycling your old, broken, or out-of-date Christmas lights. We want you to look forward to having new lights this year– so we’re here to help you find the most convenient and sustainable ways to get rid of the Christmas lights you won’t use again. 

What Are Christmas Lights Made Of?

Christmas light bulbs are made up of super fine pieces of glass, metal, copper, plastic, and sometimes lead and painted colors to create that joyful Christmas ambiance on the Christmas tree or on the outside of the house. 

When old Christmas lights are thrown away in the trash, they end up at a landfill where the materials sit for years and years, giving plenty of opportunities to negatively impact the Earth. Instead of throwing away old Christmas lights, they should be recycled. When we recycle Christmas tree lights, their materials can be reclaimed and reused. 

When items like old Christmas lights are recycled instead of thrown away, their materials go to good use and the need to produce new raw materials is reduced as well. 

Options for Recycling Christmas Lights

We know that the right way to dispose of old Christmas decorations is to recycle them, but is recycling the most convenient for you and your time? It’s actually quite easy and convenient to set up recycling services or to drop off your Christmas lights at a donation center so that they can be reclaimed for materials. 

We have some suggestions of where to recycle Christmas lights that are old, broken, or outdated so that you can cut down your energy costs, reduce waste, and improve your Christmas light decorations this season. 

Bring to a Donation Center

If you have too many lights to use, don’t just throw your old Christmas lights away if they are still working. Instead, see if you know anyone– friends, family, or co-workers– who need lights this year and pass them their way. If you do not personally know someone who needs Christmas lights, you can bring them to a local donation center like Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity. There are many families in need all over the country who would love to have working Christmas lights and who will get good use out of them this season. 

Bring to a Recycling Center 

If your old Christmas lights are broken and unusable, opt for bringing them to a local recycling and reclamation center. Recycling centers are experienced in how to safely handle the potentially harmful materials in light bulbs– centers that focus on taking recyclable materials have to adhere to strict guidelines and hold certifications to operate. This should give you peace of mind that your old lights are going into good hands by people professionally trained to recycle Christmas lights or other household items that need repurposing. 

Bring to a Local Hardware Store

Save yourself a trip and bring your old lights to a local hardware store that has a recycling center like Ace Hardware, Home Depot, or Lowes. While there, shop for new lights for your Christmas tree and house decorations. Most big-business hardware store retailers have recycling centers, but local, independently-owned hardware stores might also accept donations or have recycling bins, all you have to do is ask. 

Contact a Waste Management Company 

You probably have more than just your Christmas lights to get rid of– but, whether it’s just to recycle Christmas lights or figure out a place for old ornaments or other items with recyclable materials to be dropped off, it’s a great idea to contact your local waste management company. Any reputable dumpster rental service professionals will have resources for the best local places to donate, recycle, or dispose of any item in your possession. 

Wall Recycling Can Help You Recycle Your Christmas Lights

Are you unsure of what to do with all the extra Christmas lights you’ve accumulated throughout the years? 

Let Wall Recycling help you recycle Christmas lights conveniently so that you can reduce the amount of waste you contribute to landfills and your lights can be repurposed into something else through their usable, recycled materials. Our Raleigh waste management company encourages you to recycle Christmas lights and other materials that are harmful to the Earth. 

Call us today at (919) 679-9786 or fill out the form below to get started today.