MOUNT VERNON — With a new year fast approaching, many residents are seized with a feeling of “out with the old, in with the new.”
If your holiday string lights are among the items that you’re ready to trade in, Knox County Recycling and Litter Prevention offers you a way to dispose of them safely with an eye toward protecting the environment.
Residents are encouraged to bring their string lights to one of the following Mount Vernon locations and enter to win an Audobon bird feeder made from 90% recycled plastic:
•Knox County Service Center, 117 E. High St.
•Mount Vernon City Hall, 40 Public Square
•Mount Vernon library, 201 N. Mulberry St.
•Knox County Health Department, 11660 Upper Gilchrist Road
“This is the first year of the event in Knox, Marion and Morrow, although Delaware County has successfully run the program for a few years now,” said Matthew Baugher, Recycling and Litter Prevention coordinator. “We hope to run this off the simple basis that we want to provide as many options for recycling as possible.”
Baugher asks that residents do not put string lights into their household recycling bin as the lights will be landfilled.
“Recycling via Accurate IT instead of landfilling string lights enables us to repurpose things that would otherwise be thrown away,” he explained. “Accurate is the company we work with at Opportunity Knox and Gambier Electronic Recycling Days as well.”
Drop-off times are subject to the hours of the public building they are in. All bins are located inside.
“Look for a black trash bin on wheels with the event flier attached. The bird feeder sign-ups are located either on the bin or the main lobby desk, depending on the location,” Baugher said. “To enter the birdhouse raffle, just leave your name and contact info on the sign-up sheet.”
DKMM (Delaware, Knox, Marion and Morrow) District, Knox County Recycling and Litter Prevention, the Knox County commissioners, Mount Vernon City Hall, the Public Library of Mount Vernon, and Knox Public Health are sponsoring the recycling event. DKMM is providing the raffle prize.
The recycling opportunity runs through Jan. 15, 2023. For more information call 740-393-6704.
