King County offers helpful tips for Christmas tree recycling

Let the King County Solid Waste Division help you solve the post-Christmas dilemma of what to do with your old Christmas tree.

Recycled Christmas trees are turned into woodchips that can be used as a landscaping material, or combined with other organic material to become a compost soil amendment for gardens.

More importantly, when you recycle the family Christmas tree, you’re saving room in the landfill for the stuff that really needs to be there.

The King County Solid Waste Division recommends these Christmas tree recycling options:

• Curbside pickup: If you have curbside yard waste collection service, you can place your tree at the curb with your regular yard waste. Restrictions vary, so call your city or garbage hauler for information.
• Private companies: Many private yard waste facilities in King County collect Christmas trees for recycling – at rates much cheaper than disposal. Visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-recycling/tree-cycling.asp
• Fundraising events: Many community groups sponsor Christmas tree-cycling fundraising events. For a small donation, they will deliver your tree to a commercial recycler. Flyers will be available in your neighborhood during the holiday season. By recycling at these events, you can support a worthy cause while helping the environment.

For more information, call the King County Solid Waste Division, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 206-296-4466 or toll free, at 1-800-325-6165, ext. 6-4466, TTY Relay: 711 or visit the website at http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/index.asp.

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The King County Solid Waste Division operates eight transfer stations, two rural drop boxes and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, and provides environmentally responsible solid waste services to more than 1.3 million residents in King County, excluding Seattle and Milton.