Christmas is over. The New Year has been rung in and if you haven’t already, it’s time to take down your Christmas tree. And here's what you can do if that doesn’t mean just packing away an artificial tree.
If you chose to buy a live tree, one way to dispose of it is by recycling it.
Adam Schlachter is a universal recycling supervisor with DNREC’s Recycling Program.
“If you’ve got a real Christmas tree, which is a great tradition, make sure that you recycle your tree. You can drop it off at a bunch of drop-off locations around the State or check with your hauler; a lot of them are doing curbside collections specifically for Christmas trees to make sure that they get handled appropriately,” said Schlachter.
Schlachter says Christmas tree recycling saves valuable landfill space in Delaware.
He says more than 180,000 tons of yard waste including grass, leaves and trees was recycled throughout the State in 2017.
But in order to recycle your tree, it must be completely clean.
“Basically, make sure that your Christmas tree has nothing on it in order for it to be recycled properly. That includes removing ornaments, removing any lights, taking it off of or out of a stand and if you put that fake snow on, which they call flocking, make sure you pull as much of it off as you can,” Schlachter said.
He notes when the program started, trees were accepted at Delaware State Parks; that is no longer the case.
Here are the drop off locations:
New Castle County
Copeland’s Mulch Depot (Free for trees purchased at Copeland’s; otherwise $5)
2 Honeysuckle Drive, Stanton, DE 19804; phone 302-633-9536
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.*
Polly Drummond Hill Road Community Yard Waste Demonstration Site (FREE)
Located in the Pike Creek area on Polly Drummond Hill Road, about 1/2 mile north of Kirkwood Highway.
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., through Jan. 13. The site will close starting Jan. 14; for more information, visit www.de.gov/yardwaste.
Kent County
Kent County will collect Christmas trees on residents’ regular trash days from Jan. 7-11 and 14-18 for customers in trash districts with yard waste collection service.
Sussex County
Grizzly’s Landscape Supply Service ($10/tree)
14680 Coastal Highway, Milton, DE 19968, phone 302-644-0654
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
Mr. Mulch (Free Christmas Tree Recycling)
22288 Coverdale Road, Seaford, DE 19973, phone 302-629-5737
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-4 p.m.*
Millville Organic Center (Free Christmas Tree Recycling)
Whites Neck Road (0.5 miles North of Route 26) Millville, DE 19967, phone 302-423-2601
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
NOTE: Closed Dec. 24-Jan. 2, reopens Jan. 3.
Selbyville Mulch, Stone, & Soil (free for active customers within the last 6 months)
38205 DuPont Boulevard, Selbyville, DE 19975, phone 302-436-8286
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
Stockley Materials (Free Christmas Tree Recycling)
25136 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947, phone 302-856-7601
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.*
