All Xmas lights are green

Photo: @kingsarmsuk

As many in the region are pulling out their holiday decorations, the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen is reminding residents that old Christmas light strings can be recycled in a number of ways, rather than thrown into the garbage.

Light bulbs and lighting equipment can't be accepted in curb-side recycling, but can be dropped off at many locations or picked up by a non-profit group.

Staff with the program LightRecycle will collect large volumes of lights from homes or businesses, free of charge.

As well, at least 10 depots and landfills in the South Okanagan and Similkameen accept old Christmas lights for free.

Those depots included J&C Bottle Depot in Penticton, T2 Market Bottle Depot in Oliver, the Osoyoos Bottle Depot and the Hut Bottle Depot in Princeton.

Landfills in Summerland, Penticton, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Princeton and the transfer station in Keremeos will also accept old Christmas lights as recycling.

The RDOS noted that light bulbs can also be recycled at all Home Hardware stores as well as RONA, London Drugs and Canadian Tire in Penticton.

For more information on recycling light strings and lightbulbs, visit the LightRecycle website here, or contact the RDOS solid waste group at [email protected] or 250-490-4129.