How To Recycle Your Christmas Tree In Lake Elsinore

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Don't dump or burn your Christmas tree this year — recycle it instead for free in Riverside County.

One of the worst parts about the end of the holiday season can be figuring out what to do with your holiday tree. Luckily, there are several recycling options countywide. But first, trees must be stripped of lights, tinsel, garlands, ornaments and stands. Flocked and artificial trees will need to be cut up and placed in a regular trash bin, the county said.

For many residents, trash haulers will collect Christmas trees curbside for two weeks after Dec. 25. After stripping your tree, place it next to or inside the green waste container on your regular pick-up day. Trees that are more than four feet tall should be cut in half; contact your waste hauler for more details.

In Lake Elsinore, waste collectors will start picking up Christmas trees on the first scheduled pick-up date after Dec. 26. Holiday trees will be recycled into compost or mulch.

"Please assist them by cutting up your tree and putting it into your green barrel. If this is not possible, please cut your tree in half and leave it near the green barrel," according to the city's website.

For those in Lake Elsinore who don't have a curbside pickup program, A. Lua Wood Recycling (18938 Mermack Ave.) is accepting up to three properly prepared residential Christmas trees for free until Jan. 3.

Plus, the Beaumont and Badlands landfills are offering free compost to those who recycle their trees.

Residents can also return their trees to the ground at a Riverside County landfill to be recycled into a nutrient-rich soil amendment free of charge.

"Trees are made of organic material and can be recycled, saving valuable landfill space. Christmas tree recycling is offered to educate residents about the ease and advantages of organic material recycling," according to a news release from Riverside County.

Find more Riverside County drop-off sites below:

• Riverside County Badlands Landfill, 31125 Ironwood Ave., Moreno Valley (accepting until Jan. 4)
• Riverside County Blythe Landfill, 1000 Midland Rd., Blythe (until Jan. 4)
• Riverside County Lamb Canyon Landfill, 16411 Lamb Canyon Rd. (until Jan. 4)
• Riverside County Oasis Landfill, 84-505 84th Ave., Oasis (Until Jan. 8)
• El Sobrante Landfill, 10910 Dawson Canyon Rd., Corona (Until Jan. 11)
• B. P. John Recycling, 28700 Matthews Rd., Romoland (Until Jan. 11) Burrtec customers only:
• Burrtec/Coachella Transfer Station, 87011 Landfill Rd., #A, Coachella
• Burrtec/Edom Hill Transfer Station, 70100 Edom Hill Rd., Cathedral City
• Burrtec/Robert A. Nelson Transfer Station, 1830 Agua Mansa Rd., Riverside

For more information about the county's tree recycling program, call the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources at 951-486-3200 or visit the waste guide to make "green" holiday suggestions: https://rcwaste.org/green-holiday-suggestions.