How to compost or recycle your Christmas tree in New York City
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Now that Christmas is officially over, you might be wondering how to properly dispose your holiday tree -- whether it is real or artificial.
With the expansion of NYC's curbside composting program, New Yorkers no longer have to wait for specific days to dispose their Christmas tree.
City residents can place their tree and holiday wreaths out with their food scraps and yard waste for collection on their regularly scheduled compost and recycling day.
ALSO READ | NYC's curbside composting program expands citywide
Residents should remove all stands and decorations before putting trees out for collection, according to the NYC Department of Sanitation. Trees should not be wrapped in plastic bags.
Once collected, trees are chipped, mixed with leaves and recycled into compost for the city.
If you are looking to dispose an artificial tree, residents should remove the metal base and trunk and place them with other metal recycling.
Alternatively, you can also recycle your Christmas tree through NYC Parks' annual Mulchfest event.
Between December 26, 2024 and January 12, 2025, residents can haul their tree to a select Mulchfest location across the city, where they will be turned into wood chips used to nourish trees and make the city greener.
According to NYC Parks, more than 46,000 trees were recycled in 2023.
You can find a Mulchfest location near you on the NYC Parks website.
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