Undeck the Halls
Best ways to recycle your Christmas tree in Austin
KVUE — When the holidays are all said and done, when the lights are all out and the decorations have all been tucked carefully away, your tree is still silently hoping for another Christmas miracle: It won't get tossed headfirst into the dumpster.
Thanks to the City of Austin and Zilker Park, you now have the power to grant one last holiday wish! And you even have options.
City of Austin residents can give their natural trees a second chance at life by recycling them into mulch or compost. Doing so helps to keep 20,000 trees out of area landfills annually, which adds to the city's goal of reaching zero waste by 2040.
Additionally, City of Austin curbside customers can simply just place their Christmas tree on the curb starting on December 26. Austin Resource Recovery will then begin picking up all natural trees, along with yard trimmings, on regularly scheduled collection days.
Please note that if you'd like to go with that option, trees must be placed at the curb by 6:30 am. Also, if your tree is taller than six feet, it must be cut in half. These trees will be composted or turned into "Dillo Dirt," compost made by the City of Austin.
Finally, residents can also drop their trees off at the Zilker Park Polo Fields between 10 am and 2 pm on the following days:
- Saturday, December 29
- Sunday, December 30
- Saturday, January 5
- Sunday, January 6
The City of Austin also provided the following guidelines for Christmas tree recycling:
- Trees sprayed with flocking, or artificial snow, are not accepted
- Remove all ornaments, decorations, lights, and the tree stand
- Do not place the tree in a tree bag
- Only natural trees may be recycled
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To read the full story, head to KVUE.
