MMWA Holiday Light Recycling Drive returns Nov 15 - Jan 15

Mid Michigan Waste Authority is again teaming up with several community partners to make the upcoming holidays a little greener with its annual Holiday Light Recycling Drive. 

The project kicks off on America Recycles Day – November 15 – just as many people are pulling out their holiday decorations for the season. It runs through January 15, 2019.

In the first three years of the popular project, nearly four tons of unwanted holiday lights were collected, keeping thousands of strings of lights out of the landfill. When deposited in a landfill, it takes between 100 and 1,000 years for holiday lights to decompose, but through the recycling drive old lights will find new life.

All sizes, styles and colors of indoor and outdoor string lights can be donated. Only string lights – not other lighted holiday decorations – can be accepted.

Residents can drop off their lights at ten locations throughout Saginaw County, plus a Gratiot County drop-off site at the Wheeler Township Office. Collection bins can be found at:

• Bridgeport Twp Governmental Center
• 6740 Dixie Highway, Bridgeport
• The CAN Council
• 1311 N Michigan Ave, Saginaw
• Kochville Twp Office
• 5851 Mackinaw Rd, Saginaw
• Mid Michigan Waste Authority
• 2063 S Miller Rd, Saginaw
• Richland Twp Administrative Office
• 1180 N Hemlock Rd, Hemlock
• Saginaw Twp Dept of Public Services
• 4870 Shattuck Rd, Saginaw
• St. Charles Public Library
• 132 S Saginaw St, St. Charles
• Thomas Twp Public Safety Building
• 8215 Shields Dr, Saginaw
• Tittabawassee Twp Park
• (during Freeland Light Show starting 11/23)
• 9200 Midland Rd, Freeland
• Wheeler Twp Office
8510 E Monroe Rd, Wheeler
• Zilwaukee City Administration Building
• 319 Tittabawassee Rd, Saginaw

MMWA is again joining forces with Gary Shepard, organizer of the beloved Freeland Light Show, which runs November 23 through January 1 at Tittabawassee Twp Park.  Visitors to the show may drop off lights at the collection bin located in the park.

The lights will be processed by Rifkin Scrap Metal and Iron, a local company that will send the constituent materials to a processor. The refined materials will then move on to manufacturers to be used in new products. Rifkin is providing a rebate for the lights, with all proceeds going to the CAN (Child Abuse and Neglect) Council of the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Residents should not place holiday lights in their recycling bins or cans at home, as they are not an item accepted through the MMWA curbside recycling program.

Getting rid of old holiday lights is also a great opportunity to make the switch to LED lights, which last longer, and are more energy efficient and durable.


Mid Michigan Waste Authority is a government entity providing comprehensive residential solid waste services to approximately 200,000 residents in 34 communities across the greater Saginaw Valley. To learn more about MMWA’s programs and services, visit www.recyclemotion.org.