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Dec 27, 2011

Where Christmas Lights Go to Die

Welcome to Shijiao. It's a bustling town in China that just so happens to be the unofficial capital of dead and unwanted Christmas lights. According to The Atlantic, 20 million pounds of old Christmas lights make it through Shijao every year. What  for?

The answer: slippers. The plastic and rubber that is used in Christmas lights wiring can also be re-purposed into slippers and other materials in China. Hence, the demand. Basically, China has figured out how to capitalize and find new life in our seasonal decorations. People who recycle the Christmas lights, separate the plastic wrap that insulates the copper wire and sells it independently from each other. On one end you have copper (which is plenty valuable) and on the other side you have the re-usable plastic. The process of getting there is not unlike panning for gold in the modern age.
 
 

12 comments:

R said...

That's really bad...

Unknown said...

At least its being reused somehow.

One said...

No way! That's actually super cool.

Outcast said...

As cool as this the concept of Christmas lights dying is sad to me haha, interesting stuff anyway buddy.

Evo24 said...

I don't find this sad. But it isn't a cool thing. Oh well nice post and knowledgeable.

Atley said...

stripping old christmas lights for a living does not sound much fun. I would probably sustain repetitive use injuries. haha. But bless them for making a profit and saving the land fills from all that would be garbage!

dmayne said...

Wow interesting read good post

Heaven. said...

That's really interesting.

Stephanie said...

America's old trash is Shijiao's treasure.

annoymouse said...

HORY SHIIT! imagine all the tangle they would have to deal with..

Baur said...

Cool!

BragonDorn said...

well im just glad that they removed them from the dumps.