Don’t Throw Them Away: Potter Park Zoo Wants Your Broken Light Strands

Do you have a graveyard of tangled, half-dead Christmas lights in your attic or garage? Potter Park Zoo has a smart way to deal with them that doesn’t involve tossing them in the trash, and it’s super easy.

Where to drop off old lights

The zoo just kicked off a holiday light recycling program in Lansing, and it’s a “bring us your busted strands” drop-off location. They’ll take old, broken, unwanted, or non-working holiday lights, and the drop-off is free. The bins are set up outside the Discovery Center’s main doors, so you’re not wandering around trying to figure out where to leave them.

Dates and hours to know before you go

You can drop lights off through January (the zoo says the program runs through January 2026) during winter hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. And if you’re already headed out there for the Wonderland of Lights, you can recycle them then, too. Wonderland of Lights runs Thursday through Sunday, 5 to 8 p.m., through December 23.

Strings of lights aren’t just “plastic and vibes.” When they’re recycled, the materials get separated and reused. Things like the copper wiring, plastic casing, and glass bulbs can be recovered for new projects instead of sitting in a landfill. That helps cut down on waste and keeps potentially harmful materials from ending up where they shouldn’t.

Why recycling holiday lights actually matters

There’s a bonus, too. The proceeds from recycled materials help fund next year’s Wonderland of Lights. This year is the event’s 33rd run, and the zoo is saying, “Help us keep it shining.” So recycling your burned-out lights doesn’t just clean up the clutter — it helps keep one of Lansing’s favorite traditions glowing for the next season.