Recycle your Christmas tree

Recycle your Christmas tree

After the holidays, remember to compost your natural tree and help close the loop, returning the tree to the earth as mulch. In addition, composting a tree soon after the holidays also prevents the fire danger associated with a dry tree.

Prevent fire danger
After the holidays, County of San Diego residents are encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees as soon as possible to reduce fire danger and minimize the amount of holiday waste sent to the landfill. Dried-out trees are highly flammable and should not be left in a house, garage, or placed against any structure.

“The longer you keep a Christmas tree in your home, the more of a fire hazard it becomes,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for the National Fire Protection Association.

The San Diego County Fire Authority also advises residents not put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove.

How to compost your tree
Beyond the fire danger dried-out trees pose, they can also contribute to the increase in waste sent to landfills during the holiday season. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, organic materials like Christmas trees, food and green waste are the number one material sent to landfills, composing two-thirds of the solid waste stream. Composting these materials preserves space in local landfills, reduces greenhouse gas generation, creates beneficial compost and mulch, and removes a potential fire hazard from your property.

Many local waste haulers offer curbside pick-up of Christmas trees and wreaths, in addition to dozens of community drop-off sites. The Christmas trees are ground into mulch, which is then used to improve soil health at public parks and local farms, as well as home and garden landscapes.

Find pick-up, drop-off locations
The partnership between I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego takes the hassle out of recycling your holiday tree by gathering all your tree-cycling options into one list. Most waste haulers pick up Christmas trees in their green waste bins during normal curbside collection days for a few weeks following the holiday. Visit WasteFreeSD.org or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784) for more information or to find a local company that offers pick-up.

Both green and flocked trees (fake snow) are accepted. For curbside, and drop-off sites, all tree stands, bags, netting, lights, ornaments, tinsel and other tree decorations must be removed. No artificial trees. Do not illegally dump any other items at the drop-off locations.

A complete list of tree recycling locations is also available at WasteFreeSD.org or by calling 1-877-R-1-EARTH. Nearby drop-of locations are:

• Scripps Ranch Recreation Center, 11454 Blue Cypress Drive.
• Canyonside Recreation Center, 12350 Black Mountain Road, Rancho Penasquitos.
• Rancho Bernardo Recreation Center, 18448 W. Bernardo Drive, Rancho Bernardo.
• Kit Carson Park (south entrance, first parking lot on the right, across front the adult softball complex), Escondido.
• Jesmond Dene Park (parking lot next to the ball fields) 2401 N Broadway, Escondido.
• Montecito High School, 720 9th St., Ramona.
• The Village Shopping Center in SD Country Estates, Ramona.

Christmas tree-cycling Tips
Before recycling your Christmas tree, review these tips to ensure your tree is recycled properly:

• For curbside recycling, trees taller than four feet should be cut in half. Most waste haulers will not accept tree pieces larger than four feet.
• Trees do not need to be cut if recycled at an approved drop-off location.
• Remove any tinsel, ornaments, garland, lights, nails, tree bags, and tree stands (metal or plastic) before recycling.
• Reuse or donate artificial trees that are in good condition.

I Love A Clean San Diego operates San Diego County’s official recycling and household waste database, WasteFreeSD.org From Christmas trees to food donations and appliances to cooking oil, I Love A Clean San Diego makes waste diversion quick and convenient through this helpful database. San Diego County residents are encouraged to visit WasteFreeSD.org or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH to learn how to recycle Christmas trees as well as hundreds of other items.