How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree in Eugene
"What do we do with the Christmas tree now, Charlie Brown?"
When the Holidays are over, disposing of the resulting trash can be a bit problematic. All those boxes, all that paper and packaging material can cause your co-mingle recycle can to overflow for the next month, but it is do-able.
The tree, however, has to be cut up into much smaller chunks to fit into your yard waste bin – if you even have one (i.e. apartment dwellers), and how many of us here in Eugene or Springfield keep a saw lying around?
Here are a few tips for dealing with your Holiday fir:
Make a Donation
Fortunately, for a few dollars donation, there are many groups in Lane County willing to help you solve your post-Christmas trash problems. And with donations down as much as 90%, the fund-raising efforts of these groups are even more vital.
- Boy Scouts — local council office: 485.4433
- Girl Scouts — local office: 485-5911
- Church Youth Groups — contact your favorite church
- Student Groups — contact your nearest school
Mulch or Compost It
If you (or your neighbor) have a garden with a compost pile, and a pair of long handle loppers or heavy duty pruning shears, you can trim off the branches of your tree yourself. Clipped into smaller pieces they can be turned into the compost pile, and used to enrich that garden soil.
Haul it off yourself
Of course, you can always pack up your tree and take it yourself to a number of facilities in the area for a fee. Here are some that accept Christmas trees and their fees for doing so:
- Lane Forest Products — $1 and $2
- Lane County Waste Transfer Station — $9 (basic trash fee)
- Rexius — $1 and $2
Give it to the USACE
Often the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accepts Christmas trees to use as fish nests and nurseries in lakes and hatcheries. For details, you can contact the Willamette Valley office in Lowell: 541-937-2131.
Artificial Trees
Options for retiring your artificial tree are being researched now. It was rumored that the local sanitation companies will haul off your old reusable trees, and confirmations – or denials – are expected before you have need of the service to allow time for you to make necessary plans. Check back around the 15th for these updates.
In the meantime, we’d like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, or the most Happy Holiday of your choosing, and a very delightful New Year.
UPDATE:
According to Patti Swick, the Recycling Coordinator at Sanipac, they currently have no way to recycle artificial Christmas trees, and subsequently the trees are disposed of in land fills. “We do suggest keeping your artificial tree for a long period of time or using a real tree – unflocked, of course. We are able to mulch the unflocked trees after Christmas.”
For more recycle information:
Sanipac’s Other Recycling resource
