Here’s where to recycle your Christmas lights in Squamish

With holiday decorating in full swing, a non-profit industry group aimed at promoting recycling is asking locals to recycle their burned-out holiday string lights.

Product Care Recycling, which is funded by its 700 members of producers, which are regulated under B.C.’s extended producer responsibility regulations, is hoping residents will refrain from throwing the lights in the trash.

In a news release, the organization said broken or burned-out string lights can be recycled at more than 150 free drop-off locations in B.C.

You can find where to recycle your goods using the organization's search tool. Simply enter in your community and select Light Fixtures & String Lights from the drop-down menu.

In Squamish, it shows that the GFL location at 38950 Queens Way accepts light fixtures and string lights.

London Drugs at 40282 Glenalder Place, accepts residential lighting fixtures (less than five units of holiday string lights, chandeliers, standing and desk lamp, flashlights, etc.). In addition, they accept up to 16 residential light bulbs  (LED, CFL, etc.).

"Dropping off string lights at a recycling location ensures their various parts are given a new useful life, rather than adding to unnecessary landfill waste,” said Mannie Cheung, Product Care’s vice-president of operations, in the news release. “After they’re dropped off, lighting products are transported to authorized processing facilities here in Canada, and they’re separated by material such as metal, glass, and plastic. Then, the various materials are repurposed for new uses to give them a new life.”