Recycling your tree after the holidays

A real tree is fully biodegradable, and there are over 4,000 local recycling programs in the US (NCTA). Strip every ornament, hook, light and strand of tinsel first: they ruin chippers and mulch alike.

Common options

• Curbside pickup. Many waste providers collect trees with regular pickup during the two weeks after Christmas. Size limits may apply; some ask trees be cut in half.
• County drop-off. Most counties run free drop-off points, typically taking up to two trees at no charge.
• Chipping and mulch. Public works departments chip collected trees into garden mulch, often given back to residents free. Some counties surface park trails with shredded trees.
• Nonprofit pickups. Scout troops and similar groups in many towns collect trees for a small donation in early January.

Second lives

• Fish habitat. Sunk in a private pond, a tree makes an excellent refuge and feeding structure for fish.
• Shoreline stabilization. Trees serve as sand and soil erosion barriers on lake and river shorelines and on dunes.
• Backyard wildlife. Stand the tree in the yard through winter as a bird shelter; orange slices and popcorn strings turn it into a feeder.

The one thing not to do

Do not burn the tree in a fireplace or wood stove. Dry conifer burns explosively fast and deposits creosote. NCTA, NFPA and the US Fire Administration all say the same thing. See the fire safety guide.

Sources: NCTA: how to recycle your tree · NCTA quick tree facts · US Fire Administration