Holiday Lights Collection

4,227 pounds of lights!

A huge thank you to our 45 drop-off locations and YOU for helping us collect 4,227 pounds of holiday string lights this year. That brings our five-year total to 14,801 pounds of holiday lights diverted from the landfill!

With the support of our donors, sponsors and a $5,000 grant from the Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program, this year we were able to expand from 17 to 25 wards across the city, making it easier for more Chicagoans to recycle broken string lights responsibly.

We are grateful to the team at WasteNot Compost, our transportation and logistics partner. Not only did they collect lights from their customers, they transported all 4,227 pounds to Elgin Recycling in style, using their electric cargo van.

Still got lights?

While our Holiday Lights Collection campaign has ended, we’re still accepting them at our collection events. Check out our events calendar for a place and time that works for you.

Are you a WasteNot Compost customer?

WasteNot Compost is partnering with us to offer broken holiday lights pickup in their WasteNot member shop! Add “String Light Collection” to your cart, follow the directions and WasteNot will collect the lights along with your compost.

Thank you to our 2025-26 sponsors

Interested in helping us expand our Holiday Lights Collection program to all 50 wards?
Fill out this quick form to receive information about becoming a sponsor.

Thank you to our 2025-26 drop-off locations

1st Ward Office / Ald. Daniel La Spata
19th Ward Office / Ald. Matt O’Shea
25th Ward Office / Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez
30th Ward Office / Ald. Ruth Cruz
32nd Ward Office / Ald. Scott Waguespack
33rd Ward Office / Ald. Rossana Rodruigez
35th Ward Office / Ald. Anthony Quezada
39th Ward Office / Ald. Samantha Nugent
40th Ward Office / Ald. Andre Vasquez
46th Ward Office / Ald. Angela Clay
47th Ward Office / Ald. Matt Martin
48th Ward Office / Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth
49th Ward Office / Ald. Maria Hadden
50th Ward Office / Ald. Debra Silverstein
A Pretty Flower
Bartleby’s Homemade Ice Cream
Chicago Waldorf School
Cook Co. 8th Dist. / Commissioner Jessica Vásquez
Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange (CCRx)
Erwin Law LLC
Experimental Station/61st Street Farmers Market
Forest Glen Animal Hospital

Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Chicago North)
Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Chicago South)
Harriet Tubman Elementary School
Henry’s House Preschool
Katherine Anne Confections (Irving Park)
Katherine Anne Confections (Logan Square)
Lincoln Square Animal Hospital
Mr V’s Pizza
Northcenter Chamber of Commerce
Northwestern Medicine (Galter Pavilion)
State Rep. Jaime Andrade
State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe
The Plant
The Refilleri
The Unwaste Shop (West Loop)
The Unwaste Shop (Beverly)
The UPS Store (North Center)
The WasteShed
Trash Castle
Whittier Elementary PTO
Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber/SSA #33
Working Bikes

4,227 pounds of lights!

Still got lights?

Are you a WasteNot Compost customer?

Thank you to our 2025-26 sponsors

Thank you to our 2025-26 drop-off locations

Scenes from past Holiday Lights Collections