Give Your Christmas Tree Another Life

Give Your Christmas Tree Another Life — Recycle Your Tree Curbside, Zilker Park or other listed locations

Austin, Texas – After Christmas trees are carefully selected, decorated and displayed throughout December, they don’t have much use once the presents have been opened.

However, City of Austin residents can give their real trees a second life by recycling them into mulch or compost.

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. 19, 2017. 

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 Christmas trees is as easy as setting it on the curb. Beginning Dec. 26, 2016, Austin Resource Recovery will pick up all real 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 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. 31, 2016
• Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017
• Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017

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 tree in a “tree bag”
• Only real Christmas trees may be recycled

Alternative Drop-Off Locations

Free Drop-Off Locations

Tree will be accepted free of cost at the locations listed below. However, a contamination fee will be added to any trees with tags, decorations, and/or plastic remaining.

Texas Disposal Systems

• TDS Landfill: 3016 FM 1327, Creedmoor, Texas
• Eco Depot: 4001 RR 620 South, Bee Cave, Texas

Organics By Gosh

• 13602 FM 969, Austin, TX 78724? | (512) 276-1211

Walker Aero Environmental (JV Dirt) 

• 3600 FM 973 North Austin, Texas 78725

Whittlesey Landscape Supplies

• 3219 S IH 35 Round Rock, Texas 78664
• 629 Dalton Lane, Austin, Texas 78742

Travis County Transfer Station

• 2625 Woodall Dr. Leander, Texas 78641

Travis County Service Center

• 6013 Blue Bluff Rd Austin, Texas 78724

Del Valle Softball Complex (Behind the Southwest Rural Center)

• 3614 FM 973 Del Valle, Texas 78617

Drop-Off Locations with a Fee

Locations listed below have varying fees. Call for more information. 

Kinser Ranch LLC.
Starts at $1.00/per tree to $20/per load
For more information: 512-748-0800
10701 Kinser Lane, Austin, Texas 78736

Sid Mourning Tree Service
Pricing varies. Call for fee information: 512-420-0733
3810 Medical Parkway Austin, TX 78756

Austin Wood Recycling
$5.00/per tree
For more information: 512-259-7430
3875 E. Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park, TX 78613

Live in San Marcos? Check out the information for San Marcos residents: https://smcorridornews.com/san-marcos-offers-multiple-options-for-christmas-tree-recycling/.

The City of San Marcos does NOT allow the residents who reside in the city ETJ (Extraterritorial Jurisdiction) “Brushy Drop-off” or Christmas tree recycling services.