Christmas Lights Alternative ways to recycle Illegal in Garbage/Recycling & Drains Recycle with E-Waste Light strings must be handled as ewaste. Please do not put them in you garbage, recycling, or organics bin. Don't Throw Away Christmas Lights Never throw Christmas lights in the garbage or your curbside recycling: the lightbulb glass breaks easily and the cord gets wrapped around processing machinery. Alternative Ways to Recycle Online Trade-In Programs The online store Holiday LEDs will give you a 15 percent off coupon for mailing in your old lights to be recycled. Christmas Light Source will give you 10 percent off a purchase of new lights for mailing yours in, and donate recycling proceeds to the Dallas/Fort Worth Toys for Tots Foundation. Ways to Reduce Switch to LED LED Christmas lights use 80 percent less energy and can last up to 20 years. If you want to be able to replace individual lights, make sure to choose strings with removable bulbs. Did You Know? How to Repair Broken Christmas Lights