PoCo firefighters, HSR Services and Foam Only will be collecting Christmas lights, strands and Styrofoam on Jan. 5 and 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Fire Hall No. 1, 1725 Broadway St.

Drop-off is by donation, with proceeds going directly towards the British Columbia Professional Firefighters Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, according to a press release.

"Many people are unaware that you can recycle Christmas lights and strands, as well as Styrofoam," says Jamie Kaminski, general manager of HSR Services, a family-run recycling company based in Coquitlam for the past 25 years.

"We wanted to be a part of this amazing fundraiser to spread the word on sustainability in our community, as well as give back to such an important cause."

Polystyrene, commonly referred to as Styrofoam, is a petroleum-based plastic. Cheap and lightweight, it's been a popular packaging material for years. Proven to have harmful effects on the environment, it makes up about 30 per cent of the material in our landfills and takes 500 years to degrade.

"2012 was a great leap into building green technologies and practices," Kaminski said. "HSR Services is proud to be a part of the forefront and team up with other eco-conscious members of our community who are leading the forefront."