Homegrown: Recycle right; don't put holiday lights in curbside containers

CEDAR RAPIDS - Drop-off sites for holiday lights could assuage an annual headache for City Carton Recycling.

Strings of lights don't belong in the blue curbside recycling bins, but can be dropped off in a designated box at City Carton, 901 Ingleside Dr. SW, and other locations.

The lights get caught in mechanical equipment at the recycling center when people mistakenly include them with their recycling, said Alan Schumacher, City Carton's facility manager.

“It's the same with garland,” Schumacher said, citing another holiday decoration that should not be placed in curbside bins. “It may look like it's metal, but it's not.”

Workers at the recycling center are put in danger and must perform time-consuming maintenance when any strings, ropes or garland tangle in the machinery.

The lights, as well as Christmas trees, have their own form of proper recycling.

Wrapping paper, however, is not recyclable.

“I'd encourage people to use the funnies or newspaper,” Schumacher said.

Holiday recycling opportunities are available as follows:

Johnson County

 - Holiday light recycling containers are available between now and late January at these sites: Hy-Vee Stores at 1720 Waterfront Dr.; 812 S. First Ave. and 1201 N. Dodge St. in Iowa City; the Lantern Park Plaza Hy-Vee in Coralville; ReStore, 2401 Scott Blvd. SE, and the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center, 3900 Hebl Ave. SW. Lights are recycled with the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center's electronic waste recycling. Call (319) 887-6160 for more information.

 - Christmas trees

The Iowa City Landfill will take Christmas trees with no garland, tinsel, wiring or decorations, at no cost from residents. Iowa City collects trees curbside from Jan. 9 through Jan. 27, again, with all decorations removed. The trees are composted at the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center.

Linn County

 - Holiday lights can be dropped off for free at either Solid Waste Agency location. The Cedar Rapids facility, 2250 A Street SW, is operating under winter hours, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The site at 1954 County Home Road, Marion, is operating under regular hours, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

 - Christmas trees: Linn County residents can drop off their trees at either Solid Waste Agency site, but there is a $5 fee.

Cedar Rapids offers curbside pick up as part of its yard waste program. Remove all decorations and cut the tree into 3-foot sections. Trees also can be placed in Yardy carts, as long as the lid closes.

The Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids accepts real trees - with tinsel and other decorations removed - at the Sac and Fox Trailhead parking lot on Bertram Road SE from now until Jan. 31. The trees are chipped to spread on walking trails. Flocked trees are not accepted.

Flocked trees and artificial trees are considered garbage items. Cut the tree into 3-foot sections and place with normal garbage in Cedar Rapids. A $1.50 garbage sticker is needed for each 3-foot section. Artificial trees also may be collected as a bulky item for $2.50 in Cedar Rapids during January and February. Call (319) 286-5879 to schedule a pickup date.

Christmas tree collection for other area communities is as follows:

 - Marion: free curbside pickup after the holidays for at least two weeks

 - Mount Vernon: offers curbside pickup through January

 - Bertram: contact hauler

 - Ely: Waste Management does not pick up; residents should bring to Solid Waste Agency

 - Fairfax: Johnson County Refuse will pick up Christmas trees; contact City Hall for date

 - Hiawatha: contact hauler

 - Lisbon: Johnson County Refuse will pick up Christmas trees; contact City Hall for date

 - Walker: contact hauler

 - Alburnett, Center Point, Central City, Coggon, Palo, Prairieburg, Robins and Springville residents should contact Rudd Sanitation to find out what days Christmas trees will be collected. Rudd can be reached at (319) 438-6563.

FYI

The University of Northern Iowa's Center for Energy and Environmental Education offers information on environmentally friendly holidays at: www.reclaimyourholidays.org