Did the holiday lights fizzle and not dazzle when the strings were plugged in? Do extra electrical, phone and appliance cords clutter a closet or drawer? Recycle those materials and provide jobs for people with disabilities. ProAct, Inc. has announced the start of its annual Holiday Lights Recycling program, with 27 drop-off locations. New drop sites and improved efficiencies in the program have the workers hoping for more materials to process and recycle this holiday season.

ProAct is headquartered in Eagan and has additional operations in Red Wing, Zumbrota and in Hudson, Wis. Its mission is to provide person-centered services that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities in the areas of employment, life skills, and community inclusion.

“You can keep your lights and cords out of the trash and recycling bins, knowing that they will be handled properly and that the valuable material will be reclaimed and reused in new products,” said ProAct Production Coordinator Jennifer Cavalier. The program helps to employ dozens of people with disabilities in Dakota and Goodhue counties.

Several participating metro area cities and Dakota County service centers are serving as drop-off points, as is Gertens Greenhouse in Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville liquor stores, Burnsville Park Nicollet Clinic and five hardware stores. The program ends January 31, 2017.

People with disabilities process the cords and bulbs at ProAct’s Eagan and Red Wing facilities. There are a few exclusions. Christmas lights and electrical cords cannot be recycled in standard, single-sort recycling bins, and can cause problems in the regular waste stream, but the material is recoverable, said Cavalier. ProAct has grown the recycling effort each of the last three years and is now excited to announce that all the work and income from the processed material will benefit individuals with disabilities in its programs.

ProAct cannot accept cord adapters, battery packs, plastic rope lights or CFL lights. The drop-off locations serviced by ProAct are offered in Dakota, Goodhue, Scott and Washington counties.

Several sites are in Dakota County. In Apple Valley, visit the Dakota County Western Service Center, 14955 Galaxie Ave. In Burnsville, visit the Burnsville Park Nicollet Clinic, 14000 Fairview Drive, Suite 204, concierge desk in the lobby, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday. In Eagan, visit ProAct, Inc., 3195 Neil Armstrong Blvd. Drop items off west of the main entrance, near the garage.

Four drop sites are in Farmington. One is Farmington City Hall, 430 3rd St. The municipal liquor stores at 109 Elm St. and 18350 Pilot Knob Road also accept items. The fourth site is Rambling River Center, 325 Oak St.

In Hastings, items can be dropped at Hastings City Hall, 101 4th St. E.; Sterling Drug, 1399 S. Frontage Road and Terry’s Hardware, 375 33rd St. W.

In Inver Grove Heights, items can be dropped at ACE Hardware & Paint, 3098 65th St. E.; City of Inver Grove Heights, 8150 Barbara Ave.; Gertens Greenhouses, 5500 Blaine Ave. and Inver Grove Veterans Memorial Community Center, 8055 Barbara Ave. E.

In Lakeville, items can be dropped off at Lakeville City Hall, 20195 Holyoke Ave.; Lakeville Liquor Heritage, 20164 Heritage Ave.; Lakeville Liquor Kenrick, 16179 Kenrick Ave, and

The drop point in Mendota Heights is City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. In Rosemount, items can be taken to City of Rosemount-Community Center, 13885 S. Robert Trail or Terry’s Hardware, 14635 S. Robert Trail. The West St. Paul drop point is the Dakota County Western Service Center, 1 Mendota Road W.

Three drop points are offered in Goodhue County. In Cannon Falls, take items to D & G ACE Hardware, 31265 County 24. In Red Wing items can be taken to ProAct Inc., 204 Mississippi Ave. in the lobby near the reception area and to Red Wing ACE Hardware, 1264 Old W. Main St.

The City of Savage has the lone Scott County drop-off, at City of Savage, 6000 McColl Drive. In Washington County, take items to Oakdale City Hall, 1584 Hadley Ave. N.