How to Dispose of Your Christmas Tree

The presents are opened, the wrapping paper put away and the needle-dropping tree remains as a reminder of another Christmas past – so what do you do with it?

Luckily, the cities of Berkley and Huntington Woods make it easy for residents to dispose of their trees after the holiday by putting them out at the curb, where they are treated as chipping. Both cities have year-round chipping programs.

"People should be sure to remove all ornaments and any tinsel and if they used a bag to take the tree to the curb, they should remove it as well," said Claire Galed of the .

The schedules are as follows.

Berkley: Residents whose trash is collected on Tuesdays can put their trees out the evening before for pickup Wednesdays; those whose trash is picked up Fridays can put their trees out the evening before for collection Thursdays.

"That's so we don't have so many trucks in the neighborhoods at one time,"  water billing clerk Janis Laity said.

Huntington Woods: Trees can be placed at the curb on Sunday after 4 p.m. for chipping Monday.

"Chipping is ongoing all year, so they can put them at the curb for chipping any Monday," Galed said. "Some people do put them outside for the birds and have the question in February or so, 'What do I do with my tree now?' "