How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

By Marta Rusek

Well, it’s been fun decorating and rocking around the Christmas tree, but what happens when the festivities are over? Instead of putting your tree on the curb for trash pick-up, where it will most likely end up in a landfill, you can start a new tradition to close out the holiday season and dispose of your live Christmas tree in an environmentally friendly way. 

You can also use these methods to dispose of Christmas decorations made from natural materials, like wreaths and centerpieces.  

Bring your Christmas tree to a tree collection event (or get it picked up) 

That's right, live Christmas trees are recyclable! Many cities and municipalities have recycling programs for live trees or partner with local organizations to host tree collection events. Check your local government’s website and social media pages for information about tree collection events. If you live in Philadelphia County, where PHS is located, you can find drop-off sites run by the City of Philadelphia and tree collection events on this page. 

Alternatively, you can make arrangements for your Christmas tree to be picked up when you're done with it. Companies like Bennett Compost and Circle Compost in Philadelphia will pick up and compost Christmas trees for $20 per tree. 

Compost your Christmas tree yourself 

You can take a DIY approach and compost your tree for use in your own garden or share it with a community garden. Here’s how you do it: 

• Remove the needles. You can use them for mulch, but needles will slow down the decomposition process if you include them in your compost pile. 
• Cut the branches into very small pieces or shred them. 
• Add the tree pieces into your compost pile. 

Composting with Christmas tree parts takes patience, but the benefits are worth it. If you’re new to composting, our Composting 101 article has helpful hints. 

If you want to break down your tree in a hurry, you could turn it into mulch by cutting it into smaller pieces or putting it through your woodchipper. You can also rent a woodchipper or enlist the help of a local tree service. 

 

Feed your Christmas tree to goats 

One of the most enjoyable options for live Christmas tree disposal is giving goats a delicious post-holiday treat! Check with local farms, zoos, or goat grazing programs in your area to see if they’re hosting a tree-cycling program to feed their goats. In January, the Philly Goat Project is hosting a Tree Cycle Festival, where community members can drop off their trees for a suggested $20 donation.  

Donate your Christmas tree for biodiversity 

If helping the environment is your jam, bring your tree to a local erosion control and habitat enhancement project. Local municipalities can use Christmas trees to prevent erosion on the banks of streams and shorelines, Your tree is also a resource that could be used to build up fish habitats  

Some of these options may require planning ahead, especially if you need to drop your tree off for a collection event or arrange for a composting company to pick it up. If you’re sad to see the season end and want to keep your tree up a little longer, watch out for signs that your tree is dried out, as dry trees can be a fire hazard.

Happy recycling!