Rapid City Christmas light recycling begins Friday

Oct 31, 2024

As many stores get into the Christmas holiday spirit early by lining shelves with items, the City of Rapid City is also getting an early start with the annual Christmas Lights Recycling Program.

The program will begin Friday, Nov. 1 with 14 recycling collection bins located throughout the community.

Last year, a record 3.5 tons of non-working strings of lights and extension cords were recycled through the program.

The community recycling program is scheduled to run Nov. 1 through Jan. 31 this season.

Since 2020, nearly 11 tons of non-working lights and extension cords have been recycled through the community collection bins.

For a second consecutive year, the city is including collection of non-working extension cords as well as strings of non-working holiday lights.

“Holiday lights are huge tanglers for us,” said city Solid Waste Education and Outreach Coordinator Ria Hannon. “This means that when they get thrown into the recycling bins, they can get caught up and tangled or twisted in our equipment, which causes backups and delays because we need to cease operations and cut them out.”

Hannon said the program is starting Nov. 1 again this year as many homeowners take advantage of seasonal temperatures to begin decorating their homes.

“We know many people begin decorating even with Halloween candy still in the bucket on the kitchen table,” said Hannon. “They discover a string of lights or an extension cord that no longer works. Instead of putting it in the trash container, we need those items separated and placed in one of our collection bins.

Hannon said the public can also turn in strings of non-working lights that may have been set aside this year from other holiday observances.

Beginning Friday, the Christmas Light Recycling containers will be available at the following locations:

The bins will be located at these locations until Jan. 31.

Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

Data released by the South Dakota Department of Education showed Rapid City area students performed worse in math, science and English when co…

Nearly two years since Lloyd Bald Eagle was last seen, his remains were identified as those found in a culvert in North Rapid City this February.

"I don't think South Dakota could have asked for a better person to represent them on the national stage...someone who was known as a workhors…

A Canadian-based mining company investigating the viability of remining the Gilt Edge Superfund Site in Lawrence County has decided to cease o…

Hidden beneath the rocky outcroppings of the Black Hills, scientists the world over are in hot pursuit of an elusive particle that could help …

The Hill City alum is traveling alongside the U.S. Paralympic Team, using his talents in chiropractic sports medicine to keep Team USA's athle…

Photos from Custer Peak and elsewhere in the Black Hills on Sunday, Oct. 27.