ST. LOUIS — Besides repurposing real Christmas trees, old wrapping paper, lights, batteries and electronics can be recycled in the St. Louis area.

The St. Louis County Holiday Recycle Guide offers tips on how to stay green and where to recycle items such as real trees, clothes/textiles, batteries, electronics, wrapping/packaging and lights.

Holiday lights

Don’t throw holiday lights in the trash or recycling bin. Four places in the St. Louis area will recycle them properly. Some places will even pay for lights.

Drop off lights at the following facilities:

  • Earthbound Recycling: 25 Truitt Drive, Eureka. Hours are Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Will pay 38¢ per pound of lights.
  • Scrap Mart: 145 W. Outer Road in Valley Park. Hours are Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Will pay 12¢ per pound of lights.
  • Spectrum Ecycle Solutions: 1521 Page Industrial Boulevard, St. Louis. Hours are Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
  • Tilles Park: Lights can be dropped at Tilles Park’s Winter Wonderland for recycling through Jan. 26.

Wrapping and packing

All non-foil wrapping paper and gift boxes can be recycled in curbside bins. Gift wrap, bags, boxes and bows are reusable.

Packing peanuts, air pillows and bubble wrap can be taken to participating USP locations for reuse. Visit the UPS website for locations.

Donations

Donate good, usable books, toys, clothes, shoes and appliances to charitable organizations.

Some include the Salvation Army, Home Sweet Home, Savers, Goodwill, Clothing Donations.org, Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Remains, Inc.

Batteries

Rechargeable batteries must be recycled and cannot go in the trash or curbside recycling bin.

Through Call 2 Recycle, Home Depot and Lowes locations throughout the St. Louis area accept rechargeable, single-use and high-energy batteries for recycling.

To find out which locations, visit Call 2 Recycle’s website.

While single-use batteries are safe to put in the trash, St. Louis County, City and Jefferson County residents can use the two Household Hazardous Waste collection locations to drop off single-use batteries.

Disposable batteries also can be dropped off at any Batteries-Plus location.

There may be fees for recycling batteries.

Electronics

When recycling electronics, choose companies that are “E Stewards” and “R2 Certified.”

Electronics can be recycled at Spectrum Ecycle Solutions. For other locations and recycling collection events, visit St. Louis County’s website.