WHO KNEW You Can Recycle Your Styrofoam and String Lights on Saturday, January 31st?

The 2026 Hanover/Norwich Styrofoam/Stringlight Recycling Collection will be Saturday, January 31st, from 10AM to 12 Noon at the Richmond Middle School in Hanover.

Styrofoam is recyclable but is not accepted in our Casella recycling bins. Most of us do not know why and wonder what the best alternative for it might be. The first thing to know is that stiff Styrofoam is a form of plastic, known as expanded polystyrene (EPS). It breaks down easily and contaminates land and water with microplastics that are harmful to us and to wildlife. The chemical styrene can cause health issues in skin, eyes and the upper respiratory tract and chronic exposure can affect the central nervous system causing depression, weakness, fatigue and headache, among other things. Recyclable Styrofoam has a #6 on it. Recycling EPS #6 helps reduce landfill waste and plastic waste.

Details on what is accepted for recycling can be found at https://www.gilfordnh.gov/file/2627/Flyer_-_GSWC_Foam_101.pdf. The Styrofoam collected

will be driven to the Gilford, NH, Recycling Center where they will compress the Styrofoam and send it to appropriate manufacturers for use in other products.

Donations will be accepted to defray the expenses of renting a truck and taking the recycling to Gilford.

String lights will also be accepted for recycling.

Your efforts will help the environment in many ways! Thanks!