When you’re ready to pack up your holiday decorations, the City of Carlsbad and Republic Services are making it easy to recycle your Christmas tree and help the environment.

In Carlsbad, curbside pickup for Christmas trees will be available from Dec. 26 to Jan. 14 on your regularly scheduled trash pickup days. There are also five drop-off locations in the city that will be open from Dec. 26 to Jan. 14.

Before you recycle your tree:

• Remove all decorations, including lights, ornaments, tinsel and tree stands.
• Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half.
• Please note that flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of through regular trash service. Flocked trees must fit into the trash cart with the lid closed for collection.

Curbside collection:

• Place your tree next to your green compost cart on your normal collection day between Dec. 26 and Jan. 14.
• If you live in a multi-family complex, ask your property manager if there is a centralized tree pickup location. You can also call Republic Services at 760-332-6464 to schedule a bulky item pickup.

Drop-off:

• Calavera Hills Community Park, 2997 Glasgow Drive
• Stagecoach Community Park, 3420 Camino de los Coches
• Poinsettia Community Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Road
• Fire Station 1, 1275 Carlsbad Village Drive
• Palomar Transfer Station, 5960 El Camino Real

For the creative recycler, here are other ideas for repurposing your tree:

• Compost: The most obvious way to give new life to an old holiday tree is to add it to your compost pile. First, cut the tree into smaller chunks and gather them into a pile in your yard.
• Mulch: Cut off the boughs and layer them on your perennial garden beds as a natural mulch to protect against frost heaving. The branches are an excellent alternative to straw and will break down over winter, adding nutrients to the soil for spring.
• Chip the wood: Wood chips are one of the best choices to fill in garden paths, smother weeds, and mulch your beds.
• Reuse: Strip the sturdiest branches of their needles and cut them into various lengths to use as plant stakes. They’re handy for supporting houseplants, vegetable seedlings, and young plants in the garden.

Christmas tree recycling supports the city’s Sustainable Materials Management Plan and statewide goals to reduce waste and recycle organic material.  For more information about the city’s Sustainable Materials Management initiatives, visit the city’s website.

More information
Republic Services website
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle webpage