What Becomes of Your Discarded Christmas Trees

Live trees from homes around the city will be dumped at one of two locations this year, but the city operations department explains that this is not their final resting place. 

In an effort to repurpose the pine, undecorated and discarded trees will be chopped in the chipper, then taken to compost to sit. After they've rested for a period, the tree chips will be used around town for various projects, such as mulching trees in city parks. 

“If you put fresh pine trees down it will really zap the nitrogen out of the ground,” Operations Director Shane Kelton explained.

Citizens wishing to dispose of their live trees will be able to do so for free from Friday, Dec. 26 to Friday, Jan. 9. Stripped trees may be dumped at either the SAFE Recycling Center, 702 Warehouse Road, or the Foster Communications Coliseum parking lot, 50 E. 43^rd St. Trees can be dropped off any time inside the barricaded area at each location and the city will run them through a chipper as needed.

The mulch from the chippers is available for free from the SAFE Recycling Center during its business hours, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturdays.

For more information, call the City’s Operations Department at 325-657-4206.