Residents are encouraged every year to give their Christmas trees a second life after the holiday season. Local recycling centers will take live Christmas trees…
Staff Reports
Residents are encouraged every year to give their Christmas trees a second life after the holiday season. Local recycling centers will take live Christmas trees and turn them into mulch and compost to be used by the community.
Dumping of anything in city parks without express written permission is a crime and only undecorated natural Christmas Trees are accepted at any location below.
Here is how multiple local cities in Hays County, Austin and PEC District Offices can help you dispose of your real Christmas trees.
• BUDA
The Texas Disposal Systems will be picking up Christmas trees curbside for compost from December 26 to January 13 in Buda. Trees must be clear of décor, cut into 4 foot pieces and set outside near the trash cart.
They will be brought to a collection station and ground into mulch.
For questions go to www.texasdisposal.com and visit the Waste Wizard App.
• SAN MARCOS
The City of San Marcos is offering several ways to discard live Christmas trees as the holiday season wraps up:
- Christmas tree drop off: Now through Jan. 11, 2019, at 401 E Hopkins (Grant Harris parking lot). Trees of all sizes with no ornaments or tinsel will be mulched on site (mulch will be available to residents free of charge).
- Curbside Christmas tree service: Now through Jan. 31, 2019. Trees up to 4 feet long can be bundled with twine (no wire) and set out on residents’ normal trash or green waste pickup day.
- Green waste cart: Trees may be cut up and placed in your green waste cart, or use paper yard bags and place next to your green waste cart for pickup.
- Brush drop off: Jan. 12, 2019, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. The brush drop off can be reached by taking the San Marcos Animal Shelter entrance at 750 River Road and following the signs.
Any recycling questions can be sent to RecyclingInfo@sanmarcostx.gov or call 512.393.8407.
• Kyle
All decorations and lights, including tinsel, must be removed. No artificial trees. No nails or screws. No tree bases. The trees will be chipped and used in parks.
The drop-off points are:
- Gregg-Clarke Park– Location set up near Gregg Dr between Football Field and Softball Field #5 (Map).
- Kohler’s Crossing- Location set up under water tower near Hays CISD PAC (Map).
Questions? Reach out to the city at (512)262-3939 or by email at parks@cityofkyle.com.
• Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) is offering free Christmas tree recycling at district offices throughout its service territory. Members are encouraged to bring undecorated, natural (not artificial) Christmas trees for mulching. Below are locations and dates for dropping off trees:
- Bertram (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan. 8. Please drop off trees in the vacant lot at the east side of the Bertram office building.
- Canyon Lake (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan. 5. Please bring trees to the warehouse at the Canyon Lake office, and PEC staff will direct you from there.
- Cedar Park (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan. 9. Please look for the signs posted at the Cedar Park office indicating the specific drop-off point.
- Junction (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan. 15. Please drop off trees at the office’s warehouse area.
- Kyle (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan. 5. Please bring trees to the parking lot of the Kyle office, and drop it off directly to the left of the employee entry gate.
- Liberty Hill (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan 9. Please look for signs posted at the Liberty Hill office indicating the specific drop-off point.
- Marble Falls (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan. 8. Please drop off trees in the grassy area at the end of the driveway at the south end of the facility. Signs will be posted to indicate the drop-off area.
- Oak Hill (Map): Trees will be accepted through Jan. 15. Please drop off trees in the grassy area by the keypad in the Oak Hill office parking lot.
For questions call 888-554-4732
• Austin
Give your Christmas tree another life by recycling your tree curbside or at Zilker park.
City of Austin residents can give their natural trees a second life by recycling them into mulch or compost. Annually, Christmas tree recycling keeps nearly 20,000 trees out of area landfills, which contributes to the City’s goal of reaching Zero Waste by 2040.
For City of Austin curbside customers, recycling natural Christmas trees is as easy as placing it on the curb. Beginning Dec. 26, 2018, Austin Resource Recovery will pick up all natural trees, along with yard trimmings, on regularly scheduled collection days.
All trees for curbside collection that are six feet or taller must be cut in half. Please set your tree at the curb by 6:30 a.m. The collected trees and yard trimmings are then composted or turned into Dillo Dirt™.
All residents, including those without City of Austin curbside service, can drop off their trees at the Zilker Park Polo Fields between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the following days:
- Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018
- Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018
- Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019
- Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019
Residents should use the following guidelines when recycling their tree:
- 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
Mulch Availability
- Mulch from trees collected at the drop-off location will be available on a first-come, first served basis to Austin residents on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019.
For more information about Christmas Tree Recycling visit: austintexas.gov/department/holiday-tree-recycling.