January 27, 2026 – Residents in Macon County are running out of time to have an environmentally friendly option for disposing of unwanted holiday lights this season. The Macon County Recycling Center will collect strings of Christmas and other holiday lights through the end of this month.
The collection is being coordinated by Macon County Emergency Management and will take place at the Macon County Recycling Center, located at 151 West Wood Street in downtown Decatur. Both working and non-working strings of holiday lights will be accepted during the collection period.
Officials remind residents that only loose light strings should be dropped off. All packaging must be removed prior to recycling, and lights should not be placed in plastic or paper bags or cardboard boxes. These materials are not accepted as part of the program.
Holiday lights are not suitable for curbside recycling, but they contain materials that can be properly recycled when collected separately. By participating in the program, residents can help keep unnecessary waste out of landfills while responsibly disposing of seasonal decorations.
