Austin Residents Urged To Recycle Christmas Trees

AUSTIN, TX — Austin residents are urged to recycle their Christmas trees to save landfill space, officials said Tuesday.

"Once our natural holiday trees have been taken down and stripped of their decorations, they have a new purpose!" officials wrote in an advisory. "City of Austin residents can give their real trees a second life by recycling them into mulch or compost. Annually, holiday tree recycling keeps nearly 20,000 trees out of area landfills, which contributes to the city’s goal of reaching zero waste by 2040."

For City of Austin curbside customers, recycling holiday trees is as easy as setting it on the curb, officials explained. Beginning Saturday, Austin Resource Recovery will pick up all natural trees, along with yard trimmings, on regularly scheduled collection days. All trees for curbside collection that are six feet or taller must be cut in half. City officials ask residents to set their trees out on the curb by 6:30 a.m.

All residents, including those without City of Austin curbside service, can do a contactless drop-off of their trees at the Zilker Park Polo Fields between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the following days:

• Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021
• Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021
• Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021
• Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021

Residents should use the following guidelines when recycling their tree:

• Trees sprayed with flocking, or artificial snow, are not accepted.
• Remove all ornaments, tinsel, decorations, lights and the tree stand.
• Do not place trees in plastic bags.
• Only natural trees may be recycled.

For a list of alternative drop-off locations provided by Travis County or businesses that take natural trees, visit austintexas.gov/treerecycling. Trees collected at Zilker Park will be turned into mulch, and will be available for free on a first-come, first-served basis beginning January 14 at 9 a.m. (date and time subject to change).

WHEN AND WHERE:
Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021, 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., Zilker Park
Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., Zilker Park.

For more information about Holiday Tree Recycling and the availability of mulch visit: Austintexas.gov/treerecycling.