Where to drop off Christmas trees, lights so they can get properly recycled - WKRC TV Cincinnati

Where to drop off Christmas trees, lights so they can get properly recycled | WKRC

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Rumpke said that following Christmas it sees a 25% increase in recycling and waste. Although recycling is always encouraged, Rumpke warns against putting certain items in the bin.

It said not only does this make the job a lot harder, but it also can be dangerous for our environment.

Here's what you should know:

Rumpke encourages you to always follow directions closely.

"If you put the wrong things in the wrong container you're putting the people who separate those items at risk. If it's a battery it can start a fire. If it's a string of Christmas lights, once those materials get to the processing facility, it's going to go through the systems and the chords are going to shut the plant down. And every time we shut down the plant and stop the process, those are things that make recycling less efficient," said Amanda Pratt, Director of Corporate Communications.

Great Parks is renewing its holiday lights recycling program this season to help divert thousands of pounds of material from going into landfills. Holiday light sets will be accepted in specially marked bins at six different Great Parks destinations.

Cohen Recycling will then collect and recycle all the wiring and lights sets. The popular annual holiday lights recycling program is an important sustainability initiative from Great Parks. Both LED and traditional bulb string lights can be dropped off, but other recyclable materials shouldn't be left in the bins. Only the lights and their wiring should be dropped off.

Lights can be dropped off at these destinations:

Lights will be able to be dropped off until Feb. 1.

Christmas trees can be dropped off at these locations:

You can drop off trees on Jan. 7 and 14.