How to Recycle Your Christmas Lights in Houston
Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time for the less-enjoyable task: packing up all of your decorations until next year. If you’re dealing with broken light bulbs or a tangle of lights you just can’t deal with anymore, you may be tempted to throw them in the trash. But before you do, consider recycling your Christmas lights the proper way.​​
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Don’t worry, it’s easy! There are actually several ways for you to make sure those malfunctioning bulbs and messy strands end up in the right place.
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Drop them at a participating hardware store.
Hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes offer recycling windows where you can safely leave your old lights behind. Just call ahead to make sure they’re participating!
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Stop by a local recycler.
If you’re local to Houston, Texas, there are at least 7 different options for you to donate those Christmas lights! (See, we told you it was easy.) Check and see which one of these is closest to you:
9003 N Main 77022, Houston, TX
14400 Sommermeyer 77041, Houston, TX
5565 Kirkpatrick 77028, Houston, TX
2240 Central Street 77017, Houston, TX
5100 Sunbeam 77033, Houston, TX
10785 SW Freeway 77074, Houston, TX
Westpark Center, Houston, TX
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Donate.
Make a difference by donating and keeping wildlife safe! The Houston Zoo sets up a holiday lights recycling bin outside their main gate. Since 2016, they’ve recycled over 26,000 pounds of holiday lights! They accept string lights (and only string lights, so don’t get too crazy), so feel free to toss in your tangled piles.
An extra note of caution: don’t put those lights in your regular curbside recycling bins! Holiday lights and power cords can cause issues for your local facility because they could get tangled in the machinery, causing damage and unnecessary risk to the workers. Instead, opt for one of the ideas listed above (or just shove them in a box and see if you can get them to work next year).
