Great Parks to Collect Holiday Lights for Recycling

Since the first year of the program, Great Parks, have recycled 48 tons of holiday lights.

(Hamilton County, Oh.) - Great Parks is teaming up with Cohen Recycling and community residents to keep old and broken holiday lights out of landfills and toxic materials out of soil and groundwater, with the launch of the holiday lights recycling program, which continues from Dec. 1, 2025, until Feb. 1, 2026.

Since the first year of the program in 2014, Great Parks, Cohen and the community have recycled an incredible total of 48 tons of holiday lights.

Residents can drop off old, broken, and worn-out holiday lights in specially marked barrels at these Great Parks locations:

• Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve – Ellenwood Nature Barn
• Glenwood Gardens - Gatehouse
• Miami Whitewater Forest – Visitor Center
• Sharon Woods – Sharon Center
• Winton Woods – Winton Center, front and side lobbies
• Woodland Mound – Breezy Point Pavilion.

Great Parks and Cohen will accept LED and traditional string lights. Guests should place the light strands and their wiring directly into the barrels and not leave behind any boxes or bags used to carry them. Finally, this program is only for recycling holiday lights and cannot accept materials that are not holiday lights.

The annual holiday lights recycling program is an important initiative in Great Parks’ role as a regional conservation leader. Great Parks manages more than 18,000 acres, including more than 25 miles of river frontage.

(Note: Valid Motor Vehicle Permits are required for every vehicle entering Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve, Glenwood Gardens, Miami Whitewater Forest, Sharon Woods, Winton Woods and Woodland Mound. Information about purchasing MVPs, and accessing free or discounted MVPs, is available at greatparks.org.)