Last year, 625 pounds of non-working lights were collected in Covington alone. The chart shows last year’s regionwide totals.

Four drop-off locations open Monday with goal  of topping last year’s 625 pounds

COVINGTON, Ky. – Last year, your holiday lights glowed with holiday cheer. This year, the bulbs are dark, dull, and dead.

But rather than toss your non-working holiday lights into the trash, where they contaminate the land, recycle them.

Again this year, the City of Covington is hosting four locations where strands of lights can be dropped off.

Last year, 625 pounds of non-working lights were collected in Covington during the initiative, in which the City partners with Cohen Recycling and the Keep Covington Beautiful program run by The Center for Great Neighborhoods. That’s up 118 pounds from the year before.

“Little by little, people are beginning to take advantage of this easy way they can protect the environment, and our goal as always is to top the year before,” said Sheila Fields, the City’s Solid Waste & Recycling manager. “Holiday light strings contain plastic, glass, copper, and even lead. If you toss your lights in the trash they will sit in a landfill for years with the risk of harming land and our water supply.”

The program begins Dec. 1 (Monday) and runs through Feb. 1, 2025.

Drop-off locations in The Cov

• The lobby at City Hall, 20 West Pike St. (open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday).
• Covington Fire Department’s Station No. 5 at 1255 Hands Pike in South Covington (the bin is outside and available 24/7).
• The lobby at The Center for Great Neighborhoods, 321 M.L. King Jr. Blvd./W. 12^th St. (open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday–Thursday; and 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday).
• The lobby at Covington Public Works, 1730 Russell St. (open 7 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday–Friday).

In addition, Kenton County is hosting eight drop-off spots, including at the Kenton County Administration Building at 1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington. Campbell County is also participating.

All kinds of string lights are accepted during this event, including traditional and LED-style bulbs.

Other electric holiday yard decorations, such as a projector or the motor on an inflatable character, may be recycled at a Cohen Recycling Center.

Visit Cohen locations and call ahead for more information on recycling these items.

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