Portage County offers free way to recycle Christmas lights

Stevens Point, Wisconsin (WSAW) – The Portage County Solid Waste Authority will continue to offer a free Holiday Light Recycling Program through January.

Lighted figures, rope lights, extension cords, bags and trash will not be accepted. Empty the bagged light into the included receptacle. If contamination becomes a problem at any of these locations, the affected locations may discontinue the program early.

Don’t recycle on the curb as light bundles will wind up in the sorter just like hair on a vacuum cleaner’s brush. These cause inefficient sorting and costly closures at recycling centers such as the Portage County Material Recovery Facility. It can even cause problems in landfills by wrapping around compressor tires.

The set of holiday lights can be dropped off at any of the following locations:

• Portage County MRF (600 Moore Rd, Plover)
• Stevens City Point Public Dropoff (100 6th Ave)
• Recycling Connections (1100 Main St. Suite 120, Stevens Point) Monday-Friday 9am-3pm
• The Chidori no Sato Veterans Memorial Park parking lot is located at the corner of Post Road and School Doctor. The location is different from last year.
• Village of Amherst Village Hall
• Whiting Village Village Hall
• Town of Amherst City Hall
• Hull Town Hall
• Town of Pine Grove City Hall

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