Time to take down -- and recycle -- the holiday decorations

Updated January 10, 2013

Now that the Three Kings have come and gone, you may be wondering what to do with that Christmas tree shedding needles all over your living room.

Until January 18, 2013 Chicago residents can take their old trees (all lights and ornaments having first been removed) to any of 23 locations:

North Side
• Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.
• Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.
• Lincoln Park, Cannon Drive at Fullerton Ave.
• Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Dr.
• North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.
• Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave.
• Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
• Riis Park. 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.
• Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
West Side/Central
• Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave.
• Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Drive
• Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave.
• Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.
South Side
• Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.
• Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.
• Jackson Park, 6300 S. Cornell Ave.
• Kennedy Park, 2427 W. 113th St.
• Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes
• Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave., near the golf course
• Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
• McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Road
• Rowan Park, 11546 S. Ave. L
• Wentworth Park, 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.

The City of Chicago does not appear to have any specific holiday light recycling program this year. However School & Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting Education (SCARCE) maintains a list of Chicago suburbs that are recycling holiday lights this year. That list (linked in preceding sentence) includes, as of today,

SCARCE, ongoing
     799 Roosevelt Road, Building 2, Suite 108, Glen Ellyn
Addison
     Park District Community Rec Center, 120 E. Oak Street
     Park District  Centennial Rec Center, 1775 W. Centennial Place
     North Waste Water Treatment Plant/Recycling Center (South Gate), 711 North Addison Rd.
Bartlett - starting 11/28/12
     Village Hall 228 South Main St.
Carol Stream 11/19/12-2/4/13 (click on link for drop off hours at each location)    
     Carol Stream Public Library, 616 Hiawatha Dr.
     Village Hall, 500 N. Gary Ave.
     Simkus Recreation Center, 849 W. Lies Rd.
Darien- starting 11/26/12
     Police Department Lobby, 1710 Plainfield Road
     Bus Barn, 925 67th Street
     District Office, 7414 Cass Avenue
Downers Grove
     Public Works, 5101 Walnut Drive 11/14/12
Elmhurst
     Elmhurst Park District- starting 11/19
     York HS, 355 W. St. Charles, Road 11/26/12-1/25/13
Glendale Heights- starting 11/15
     Public Service Building, 1635 Glen Ellyn Road
Glen Ellyn 11/26/12 - 2/18/13
     Ackerman Park, 800 St. Charles Road,
     Glen Ellyn Civic Center, 535 Duane St.

Itasca- starting 11/26
     Public Works Garage, 415 North Prospect Ave.
Lisle- starting 12/1
     Village Hall, 925 Burlington Ave.
Lombard
     Sunset Knoll Recreation Center, 820 S. Finley Road, Starting 12/3/12
     Lilacia Park Coach House, 227 W. Parkside Avenue, Starting 12/3/12
     Schafer School, 700 Pleasant Lane
Naperville
     Park District, Riverwalk Community Center, 305 W. Jackson Ave.- starting 11/19
     Central Shop/Barn, 421 W. Martin Ave., starting 11/19/12
     Springbrook Golf Course, 2220 W. 83rd St., startin 11/19/12
     Public Works Service Center, 180 Fort Hill Dr.
Oak Brook     Oak Brook Library, 600 Oak Brook Rd. 11/19/12-1/31/13
Roselle- starting 10/29
     Roselle Village Hall 31 S. Prospect
     Clauss Recreation Center 555 W. Bryn Mawr
West Chicago- starting 11/23
     Public Works, 135 W. Grandlake
     Methodist Church, 643 East Washington St.
     Murphy Ace Hardware, 319 South Neltnor Boulevard
     West Chicago City Hall, 475 Main Street
     West Chicago Public Library, 118 West Washington Street
     West Chicago Police Department, 325 Spencer Street
     West Chicago Water Treatment Plant, 1400 West Hawthorne Lane
Wheaton- starting 11/19
     821 West Liberty Dr.
     First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton, 715 North Carlton, 11/1/12
     Community Center, 1777 S. Blanchard Rd., 11/20/12-2/28/13
     Leisure Center, 208 W. Union Ave., 11/20/12-2/28/13
Winfield - starting 11/19/12
     27w465 Jewell Road
Woodridge- starting 11/19
     Village Hall, 5 Plaza Dr.
     Public Works Building, 1 Plaza Dr.
Warrenville - starting 11/12
      Public Library, 28W751 Stafford Place

Dr. Albert J. Klumpp reminded me that the Solid Waste Agency of North Cook County also lists a number of suburbs that are collecting used holiday lights this year. As of January 10, this list includes:

Arlington Heights Public Works
222 N Ridge Avenue
(847) 368-5800
M-F: 7:30 am to 3:00 pm
November 19, 2012 - February 22, 2013

Arlington Heights Village Hall
Health Department
33 S Arlington Heights Road
(847) 368-5760
M-F: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
November 19, 2012 - February 22, 2013

Barrington Public Works
300 N Raymond Avenue
(847) 381-7903
24-hour outside drop-off at Public Works office entrance
November 28, 2012 - March 5, 2013

Buffalo Grove Village Hall
50 Raupp Boulevard
(847) 459-2530
M-F: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
From November 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Buffalo Grove Police Department
46 Raupp Boulevard
(847) 459-2530
24-hour drop-off
From November 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Elk Grove Village Health and Community Services Office
901 Wellington Avenue
(847) 357-4240
M-F: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
From October 15, 2012 - March 8, 2013

Evanston Levy Senior Center
300 Dodge Avenue
(847) 448-8250
M-F: 7:00 am to 9:00 pm
Sat, Sun: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
From December 1, 2012 - January 31, 2013

Evanston Ecology Center
2024 McCormick Boulevard
(847) 448-8256
M-F: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
From December 1, 2012 - January 31, 2013

Evanston Library1703 Orrington Avenue
(847) 448-8600
M-Th: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
F, Sat: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 to 6:00 pm
December 1, 2012 - January 31, 2013

Glencoe Public Works Service BuildingGarage
320 Hazel Avenue
(847) 835-4134
M-F: 8:00 am to 3:30 pm
October 29, 2012 - March 15, 2013

Glenview Public Works
1333 Shermer Road
(847) 657-3030
24-hour outside drop-off at Public Works
October 22, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Hoffman Estates Village Hall
Lobby
1900 Hassell Road
(847) 781-2669
M-F: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
November 26, 2012 - February 4, 2013

Kenilworth Public Works
347 Ivy Court
(847) 251-1666
24-hour drop-off
November 1, 2012 - February 24, 2013

Lincolnwood Public Works7001 N Lawndale Avenue
(847) 675-0888
M-F: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
November 19, 2012 - January 31, 2013

Mount Prospect Public Works
1700 W Central Road
(847) 870-5640
M-F: 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
November 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Niles Public Services Department
6849 Touhy Avenue
(847) 588-7900
M-F: 7:00 am to 3:30 pm
November 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Niles Family Fitness Center
987 Civic Center Dr
(847) 588-7900
M-Th: 5:30 am to 10:00 pm
F: 5:30 am to 9:00 pm
Sat, Sun: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
November 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Park Ridge Public Works Service Center
400 Busse Highway
(847) 318-5240
M-F: 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
November 1, 2012 - January 31, 2013

Prospect Heights City Hall
8 N. Elmhurst Road
(847) 398-6070
M-F: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
November 1, 2012 - April 30, 2013

Rolling Meadows
3600 Kirchoff Road
(847) 394-8500
24-hour outside drop-off at City Hall entrance
November 5, 2012 - February 8, 2013

Rolling Meadows
3900 Berdnick Street
(847) 394-8500
M-F: 7:00 am to 4:30 pm
November 5, 2012 - February 8, 2013

Skokie Public Works
9050 Gross Point Road
(847) 673-0500
M-F: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
December 3, 2012 - January 25, 2013

Wheeling Public Works
77 W Hintz Road
(847) 279-6900
M-F: 7:00 am to 3:00 pm
November 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013

Wilmette Public Works
711 Laramie Avenue
(847) 853-7500
24-hour outside drop-off at front parking lot
November 26, 2012 - January 25, 2013

Winnetka Public Works
1390 Willow Road
(847) 716-3568
M-F: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
September 24, 2012 to February 8, 2013

I continue to invite readers to advise of any additional sites which have come to their attention. I'll do my best to make that information available.