WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and RadioIowa firms push recycling Christmas lights
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Associated Press - December 25, 2009 2:24 PM ET
WALFORD, Iowa (AP) - Wonder what to do with those old Christmas lights? Some Iowa companies say don't toss them in the trash, recycle them.
Dave Long of Midwest Electronic Recovery in Walford has had a Christmas light recycling program for nine years. So far this season, the company has collected about 50 pounds of lights.
Jim Brown of Marion Iron estimates that since November, his company has shipped between 300 and 400 pounds of Christmas lights to secondary recyclers that separate the copper from the plastic and glass.
Brown says the copper wire is the attraction because it's cheaper than new copper. Glass bulbs can be crushed and used in tiles, asphalt and fiberglass insulation. Plastic bulbs and the sheathing are added to recycled plastics.
Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
