I think we should call 2020 the year of lights.

This holiday season, I believe, has been the most festive we've had in years. Thanks to the pandemic and many of us stuck at home, we needed a little extra holiday cheer. It seems that as soon as the calendar turned to November, Hudson Valley residents were out and about stringing their lights around their homes.

With that being said, we're not trying to rush through to the end of the holiday season but what do you do with your decorations at the end of the month?

More specifically, what do you do with those lights that blew a fuse after putting out all that holiday cheer all December long?

If you didn't know, there are some rules to follow when your throwing away those old Christmas lights. This week the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shared useful information when it comes to the holiday clean-up.

When those lights go out you should NOT be throwing them away in the recycling bin. We get the confusion, the glass, the plastic. Seems like it would be a recyclable product. However, the DEC explains that "string lights, ribbons and bows,  wrapping paper and gift bags with glittery, metallic or foil elements" should not be recycled.

They call this "“Wishcycling” and explain that it can "contaminate our local recycling streams."

For more details on what you should and shouldn't recycle, the DEC recommends checking out your local recycling provider's website.

Happy Holidays and Happy Recycling!

 

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