Covington launches annual holiday lights recycling program – LINK nky

Report on the City of Covington’s Holiday Light Recycling Initiative and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Program Overview and Objectives

The City of Covington has launched its annual holiday light recycling program, a strategic initiative designed to divert electronic waste from landfills. This program, operational from December 1 through February 28, facilitates the responsible disposal of broken or unwanted holiday lighting and decorations. Through a key public-private partnership with Cohen Recycling, the initiative directly supports local and global sustainability objectives by promoting a circular economy and responsible waste management practices.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Covington holiday light recycling program makes significant contributions to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By providing accessible recycling infrastructure, the city enhances its municipal solid waste management system, reducing landfill dependency and fostering a cleaner, more sustainable urban environment for its residents.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: This initiative is a direct implementation of SDG 12, promoting responsible consumption patterns by encouraging residents to recycle rather than discard electronic goods. It supports the production side by recovering valuable materials, thereby reducing the need for virgin resource extraction and substantially lowering waste generation.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: Recycling the components of holiday lights, such as copper, plastic, and glass, reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing new products. Furthermore, diverting this waste from landfills mitigates the production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The collaboration between the City of Covington, a public entity, and Cohen Recycling, a private sector company, exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships essential for achieving the SDGs. This partnership leverages combined resources and expertise to achieve a common environmental goal.

Operational Framework

Accepted Materials

The program accepts a range of electronic holiday decorations for recycling. Cohen Recycling will process the following items:

• All types of string lights (incandescent and LED)
• Electric holiday projectors
• Motors from inflatable yard displays

Collection Sites and Schedule

Four designated drop-off locations are available to residents for the duration of the program:

1. Covington City Hall
   20 W. Pike St.
   Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
2. Covington Fire Department Station 5
   1255 Hands Pike
   Collection bin available 24/7
3. The Center for Great Neighborhoods
   321 MLK Jr. Blvd./W. 12th St.
   Monday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
4. Covington Public Works
   1730 Russell St.
   Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the City of Covington’s holiday light recycling program addresses or connects to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  
  This goal is relevant because the initiative is a city-led program (“The City of Covington is asking residents…”) aimed at improving municipal waste management and making the urban environment more sustainable.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  
  This is the most directly related SDG, as the program’s core purpose is to “keep broken or unwanted holiday lights out of the landfill” by promoting recycling. This encourages responsible disposal and contributes to a circular economy, which are key components of responsible production and consumption patterns.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
  
  The article explicitly mentions that the program is “run in partnership with Cohen Recycling.” This collaboration between a public entity (City of Covington) and a private company (Cohen Recycling) exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships needed to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
   
   The program directly addresses the “municipal and other waste management” aspect of this target. By providing a specific channel to recycle electronic waste (holiday lights), the City of Covington is actively working to reduce the environmental impact of waste generated by its residents, specifically preventing these items from ending up in landfills.
2. Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
   
   The initiative is a clear example of a “recycling” program designed to “substantially reduce waste generation.” The article’s main call to action is for residents to participate in the “annual recycling program” to properly dispose of nonworking lights instead of treating them as landfill waste.
3. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   
   The article highlights a “public-private” partnership between the “City of Covington” and “Cohen Recycling.” This collaboration is a practical application of Target 17.17, demonstrating how different sectors can work together to implement sustainability programs effectively.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention official SDG indicators, but it implies several practical metrics that could be used to measure the program’s success and progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicator for Targets 11.6 and 12.5: The total amount (e.g., by weight or volume) of holiday lights and other electronic decorations collected and diverted from landfills.
  
  This is the most direct, albeit implied, indicator. The success of the program, which aims to “keep broken or unwanted holiday lights out of the landfill,” can be quantitatively measured by how many lights are collected at the four drop-off locations. This data would directly reflect the reduction in municipal solid waste.
• Indicator for Target 17.17: The number and nature of public-private partnerships for sustainability initiatives.
  
  The existence of the partnership between the City of Covington and Cohen Recycling is itself an indicator of progress. The program’s continuation (“annual recycling program”) suggests a sustained and effective partnership, which could be documented as a successful case study for this target.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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