The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is encouraging residents to take advantage of free holiday light recycling offered throughout McHenry County. 

Holiday lights placed in curbside recycling bins are not accepted. The light strands create a tangling hazard at the recycling centers, causing machine breakdowns and potential worker safety hazards.

“Instead of throwing the lights in the garbage can or the curbside recycling bin, bring the lights to one of the many drop off locations throughout the county” said Kelli Boeckmann, Solid Waste Manager for the MCDH.

The best way to get rid of holiday light strands, rope lights, LED lights and extension cords is to drop off the lights at one of the following participating locations:  

Village of Algonquin (847) 658-2700— Accepting holiday lights until Jan. 19 at Ganek Municipal Center, 2200 Harnish Drive.  Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but closed for the holidays.

Algonquin Township 3702 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake. Accepts Holiday lights year-round, Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Village of Cary (847) 639-0003 — Accepting holiday lights for recycling through January during normal business hours. Bins are available at the following locations:

• Village hall, 655 Village Hall Drive, Cary
• Cary Fire Protection District Station 1, 400 Cary-Algonquin Road, Cary
• Cary Fire Protection District Station 2, 2015 Crystal Lake Road, Cary
• Kraus Senior Center, 441 W. Main St., Cary

City of Crystal Lake (815) 459-2020 — Accepting holiday lights during normal business hours through the end of the year at Crystal Lake City Hall, 100 W. Woodstock St. There is a disposal bin marked “Christmas Tree Lights Recycling” located in the main lobby of City Hall.

Village of Lakewood (815) 459-3025 — Accepting holiday lights at the Village of Lakewood Village Hall, 2500 Lake Ave. The light recycling receptacle is near the front door. 

Village of Oakwood Hills — Accepting holiday lights at the Village Hall, 3020 N. Park Drive, during regular business hours.

Village of Richmond (815) 678-4040— Accepts holiday lights to be recycled year-round at the Richmond Village Hall, 5600 Hunter Drive. Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The receptacle is in the front vestibule. For Richmond residents only.

Village of Spring Grove (815) 675-2121— Accepts holiday lights to be recycled year-round at the Village of Spring Grove Municipal Centre, 7401 Meyer Road. Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

City of Woodstock (815) 338-4300— Accepting holiday lights during normal business hours until Feb. 11 at the following locations:

• City Hall – 121 West Calhoun St.
• Woodstock Police Department – 656 Lake Ave.
• Woodstock Public Library – 414 West Judd St.
• Woodstock Recreation Center – 820 Lake Ave.

Elgin Recycling (847) 741-4100 — Accepts holiday lights year-round at 5114 Terra Cotta Ave. in Crystal Lake. Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m to 5 p.m and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Prairieland Disposal and Recycling (847) 381-9300 — Accepts holiday lights year-round at 21988 N. Pepper Road in Lake Barrington. Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ziegler’s Ace Hardware Stores– Accepting holiday lights for recycling until mid-January at their locations in Cary, 642 Northwest Highway; Crystal Lake, 435 S. Main St.; Huntley, 10420 IL-47 and Lake in the Hills, 481 N. Randall Road

Holiday light recycling locations can also be found at http://bit.ly/MCDHsolidwaste.