Recycle holiday lights with Five Rivers MetroParks
Drop off lights at one of these locations and support the Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation.
Recycle holiday lights at Five Rivers MetroParks now thru Feb 28
Drop off lights at one of these locations and support the Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation
Five Rivers MetroParks and Cohen Recycling are making the holidays greener by providing bins at 11 MetroParks locations where the public can drop off string lights to be recycled Nov. 17, 2025 through Feb. 28, 2026. To ensure ease of drop off and that bins are located equitably throughout Montgomery County, MetroParks has added a drop-off bin to Taylorsville MetroPark this year.
Recycling lights supports MetroParks’ conservation mission, and Cohen will make a donation to the Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation equal to the market value of the recycled lights collected.
Drop off unwanted lights at any of the following MetroParks locations during park hours, which are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily:
- Carriage Hill MetroPark, 7800 E. Shull Rd.: Recycling bin located outside the Visitor Center entrance
- Cox Arboretum MetroPark, 6733 Springboro Pike: Recycling bin located outside the Visitor Center entrance
- Eastwood MetroPark, 1385 Harshman Rd.: Recycling bin located in the main lot adjacent to the bathrooms
- Englewood MetroPark, 4361 W. National Rd.: Recycling bin located near entrance
- Germantown MetroPark, 6910 Boomershine Rd.: Recycling bin located at the Twin Valley Welcome Center by kiosk next to sidewalk
- Possum Creek MetroPark, 4790 Frytown Rd.: Recycling bin located at the education building near Possum Creek Farm
- Sugarcreek MetroPark, 4178 Conference Rd.: Recycling bin located at the main parking lot entrance under the kiosk
- Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave.: Recycling bin located at the front of the main building
- Adventure Central at Wesleyan MetroPark, 2222 N James H McGee Blvd.: Recycling bin located at Adventure Central building.
- 2nd Street Market, 600 E. Second St.: Recycling bin is located at the northwest entrance by the bike parking and is accessible anytime.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of household garbage in the US increases 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, resulting in 5 million tons of waste that is sent to the landfill.
“Recycling holiday lights is an easy way to support sustainability efforts during the holidays, a time of year that generates considerable waste,” said Five Rivers MetroParks Director of Conservation Grace Dietsch. “In addition to reducing landfill waste, this program prevents discarded lights from entangling wildlife or adding toxins to our soil and water.”
Over the last five years, MetroParks has collected 35,106 pounds of lights at its facilities. Additionally, Cohen has donated a total of $11,031 to the Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation to support MetroParks’ mission to protect the region’s natural heritage.
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