As the festive season's glimmer wanes, St. Louis offers residents a green way to bid farewell to their holiday trimmings. On the heels of Christmas, the city calls upon its people to consider the environment and recycle their bare Christmas trees along with those tangled, broken holiday lights that have flickered their last. Drawn from a page on the city's official website, St. Louis Public Radio shares a comprehensive guide on where these items can be embraced for a second life.
For those with defective or worn out holiday lights, various options pepper the city to dispose of them responsibly. Participating Lowe's locations, whose details need checking locally, accept these festive strands, ensuring they don't end up in landfills. Spectrum E-cycle, located at 1521 Page Industrial Blvd, and open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., will also take in your lights. But if making a little change while being eco-conscious is the goal, Earthbound Recycling, Scrap Mart, and Wellston Scrap & Metal offer hard cash per pound for your twinkling contributions, though rates vary daily.
In addition to monetary incentives, there's the satisfaction of knowing your efforts contribute to less waste and a more sustainable holiday aftermath. Wonderland at Tilles Park and the Cortex Innovation District provide seasonal drop-off points, simplifying the process for residents to pass on lights that have lost their luster. Note that these locations only accept lights until tomorrow, January 26, and January 6, respectively—a small window to complete this yearly task.
As ribbons and wrapping paper pile up, it's worth noting that not all holiday wraps are suitable for recycling. A detailed breakdown of what can and cannot be recycled is available, offering St. Louis natives the knowledge needed to navigate post-holiday cleanup. For more insights on sustainable disposal of gift wrappings, check out the aforementioned guide by St. Louis Public Radio.
