Holidays 2012: Recycle Lights, Phones and Coats; Donate New Toys

Are you buying a new winter jacket? Do you have holiday lights that no longer work? Did your kids get duplicate toys this year? Did Santa bring you a new cell phone?

If you have items you’d like to toss but aren’t sure what to do with them, a number of collections are taking place in Prince George's County and items can be dropped off right at the Salvation Army at 3304 Kenilworth Avenue
Hyattsville, MD. You can also drop off items at Goodwill of Greater Washington at 10 South Glebe Road in Arlington, VA. 

Have any unwrapped, unused toys? They can be donated to Toys for Tots in 2013.

If you have coats you no longer need, donations are being collected through many local churches.

Cell phones piling up because you have the newest and best that technology has to offer? Drop off used cells for Cell Phones for Soldiers at local Liberty Tax locations and a number of other places found here.

Have old holiday lights that no longer work? Maybe you switched colors or swapped old lights for LED ones? Whatever the reason, if you have lights that you're not hanging this year, they can be recycled at the Prince George's County Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Recycling Acceptance Site. The center is located at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill at 11611 White House Road in Upper Marlboro, MD.

It's open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. County residents may be asked to present valid identification in the form of a driver’s license and/or vehicle registration. No commercial vehicles allowed to drop off.

Is your organization collecting donations this holiday season? Let us know. Leave a note in comments or e-mail Editor Sonia Dasgupta at sonia@patch.com