By Mark Hallum
The city Parks Department extended MulchFest by another week to give New Yorkers “mulch more time” to dispose of Christmas trees.
The annual program kicked off Dec. 31 and was originally scheduled to run through Jan. 7, but because of record low temperatures last weekend, it will be extended through Sunday.
Residents can dispose of trees by dropping them off at 13 designated sites in Queens, although on-site chipping will no longer take place. The Sanitation Department will also conduct curbside pickup to recycle trees.
Drop-off locations in Queens are Astoria Park, Brookville Park, Captain Mario Fajardo Park, Cunningham Park, Forest Park, Hunter’s Point South Park, Juniper Valley Park, Queensbridge Park, Rockaway Beach at Beach 94th Street and Shore Front Parkway, Rockaway Beach at the parking lot at Beach 11th Street, Roy Wilkins Park, Travers Park and Windmuller Park.
The Parks Department advised residents to remove all lights and ornaments before disposing of trees.
Now in its 22nd year, MulchFest provides residents with a fun and eco-friendly way to shred their Christmas trees and recycle the mulch that comes of it. The city makes mulch out of 25,000 to 30,000 trees per year, and it is used in gardens around the city.
The Sanitation Department will continue with curbside pickup until Saturday, weather permitting.
MulchFest is done in partnership between GreenNYC, a city organization that pushes the Zero Waste initiative, and Whole Foods and Cabot.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall
