Los Angeles Christmas Tree Recycling

We are about to embark on another season of holiday merrymaking, and many of us will begin to decorate our homes and offices with the signs of the season. For many of us, that means going and getting that all-important symbol of the December holidays: a Christmas tree.

However, after the festivities are over, the last cup of egg nog has been drunk, the last gift unwrapped, and all the guests have gone home to muse on their New Year's Resolution, the Christmas tree still stands, moving from a cherished holiday icon to an internal fire hazard. However, have no fear. There is a safe and effective way to dispose of and recycle your Christmas tree in the Los Angeles, California area.

In Los Angeles (focused on area code 90005, but anywhere within the city limits of Los Angeles, California), any person can contact the Bureau of Sanitation for the City of Los Angeles for curbside removal and recycling of their tree. There are three steps that the Bureau asks you to abide by when placing your Christmas tree outside for recycling:

1. Remove all the ornamentation you have put on the tree, including lights, beads, tinsel, and the stand.

2. Cut the tree into pieces and fit them in the normal green bin reserved for natural waste.

3. Place the Christmas tree (now inside the green box) next to the normal trash for collection. If you live in an apartment building that does not have a green bin, place your Christmas tree on the curb and contact the Bureau of Sanitation.

For those concerned about the environment, don't worry. The trees will be used to make compost and mulch for the coming year.

The dates for drop-off at fire stations, recreational sites, and parks will be for one weekend (January 2nd and 3rd) from 9-4. At that time, any person can bring any Christmas tree for recycling and disposal to these sites to get rid of them.

If you have any questions, please contact the Los Angeles Department of Public Works and Bureau of Sanitation. And remember, Christmas trees are pleasant during the holidays, but afterwords, they dry up and become tacky fire hazards that litter the interior landscape of your dwelling. Thus, be proactive and get rid of your tree at the coming of the new year by following these simple tips from the LA Bureau of Sanitation.