The beginning of a new year has arrived, which means it’s time to clean the pine needles off the carpets and put your Christmas tree onto the curb for the Sanitation Department’s annual tree recycling program, which begins on Monday, January 4.
The collection and recycling program will run through Friday, January 15 – giving tree owners 11 full days of opportunity to send your Christmas symbol back into the wild as compost.
Please follow these guidelines before placing trees curbside:
Do not place trees in plastic bags.
Discard all tree stands.
Remove all tinsel, lights and ornaments.
All trees that are placed on the curb properly with the 11-day limitation will be collected, chipped and made into compost or mulch, which will be processed and subsequently spread upon parks, ball fields and community gardens throughout the city.
The Department collected 122,235 discarded Christmas trees in January 2009.
In addition, the Parks & Recreation Department will be hosting their 14th Annual MulchFest on Saturday, January 9and Sunday, January 10from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at more than 80 sites throughout the city. This service allows New Yorkers to drop off their holiday trees at designated parks for mulching and event attendees can pick up free mulch.
“The department is very pleased to offer this special recycling service. Providing collection and recycling options for residents are environmentally valuable and benefits our neighborhoods,” said Commissioner John J. Doherty. “Working in conjunction with the City’s Parks & Recreation Department allows residents to take part in the recycling process and permits them to even reuse their composted Christmas trees to fertilize for the spring. Compost is a natural fertilizer and is an excellent soil enrichment that promotes the healthy growth of plants and grass.”
For more information on Christmas tree collection and recycling and/or MulchFest 2010, visit www.nyc.gov/sanitation or www.nyc.gov/parks, or call 3-1-1.
