Ensuring a Bright Future After the Holiday Lights Fade
As the festive glow of the holiday season fades, many Westerville residents will be left with the task of packing away decorations, which often include tangled tendrils of broken or outdated holiday lights. While it might be tempting to simply toss unwanted holiday lights into the trash, recycling seemingly small items can have a significantly positive impact on the environment and our community. Holiday lights, despite their delicate appearance, are typically made from a complex mix of materials including copper wire, glass bulbs and PVC plastic. When these lights are discarded in landfills, precious materials are lost forever and contribute to waste and pollution. Copper, in particular, is a finite resource, and extracting new copper from the earth is an energy-intensive process that can lead to habitat destruction and water contamination. By recycling, the City’s partners recover valuable materials, reducing the need for new mining and conserving natural resources.
Beyond resource conservation, recycling holiday lights also helps mitigate the release of harmful chemicals. Older incandescent lights, for example, can contain lead, which can leak into the soil and groundwater when discarded in landfills. Even newer LED lights, while more energy-efficient, still contain components that are best recycled to prevent potential environmental hazards. Proper recycling ensures that these materials are processed responsibly, minimizing their ecological footprint. Westerville residents can help conserve valuable resources and foster a more sustainable community through the Holiday Light Recycling program. To participate, community members can drop off discarded strands at the Electric Division building, located at 139 E. Broadway Ave. Those who are interested in receiving an LED light bulb in exchange for unwanted strands may stop by Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Otherwise, the Electric Division accepts discarded lights in marked bins in the front of the facility any time. Visit www.Westerville.org/HolidayLights to learn more about the Holiday Light Recycling program.
In 2024, community members dropped off 5,726 pounds of holiday lights for recycling! That is equal to:
18
Reindeer
43,288 Cookies
50M sq. ft. of wrapping paper
19