Will County to accept string lights for recycling at four locations

Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving is a good time to bring out Christmas decorations and the time people discover non-working string lights. Will County Executive Larry Walsh reminds residents to dispose of these lights in an environmentally friendly way.

”Each holiday season we set up carts at some of our county buildings so residents can safely recycle these lights,” Walsh said. “Now is the season to be thankful for our resources by recovering them instead of tossing them in the trash.”

String lights take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose and will produce chemicals that are hazardous to the soil. Animals, domestic or wild, can also get into trash receptacles, become entangled in the lights and strangle themselves. Safe disposal of these lights is a win for all.

Collection carts will be set up between Dec. 1 through Jan. 31 at the County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago Street, Joliet; the Land Use building, 58 E. Clinton Street, Joliet; and Sunny Hill Nursing Home, 421 Doris Avenue, Joliet. This year the village of Homer Glen is also offering a collection site at village hall, 14240 W 151st Street, Homer Glen. These lights can also be taken to any of the six electronic collection sites across the county.

Residents are also encouraged to visit the county’s green site at www.willcountygreen.com for information on special electronic collection events and waste reduction tips.