How To Recycle Christmas Trees In Fairfax City After 2025 Holidays

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — As much as families may want to extend the holiday season, live Christmas trees may have a time limit. There are several ways to get rid of your live Christmas tree once the holidays are over.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends taking out Christmas trees when they are dry due to the fire hazard. The organization said trees will dry out over time and be more likely to catch fire quickly than a well-watered tree. Annual home fires caused by Christmas trees averaged 155 between 2018 and 2022, causing an average four resident deaths, seven residents injuries and $15 million in direct property damage.

In the City of Fairfax, there are no special holiday pickups planned. Christmas trees can be put in reusable containers labeled "Yard Waste", placed in paper bags, or bundled and left at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day.

Residents are asked to remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights and stands before placing your Christmas tree at the curb. The use of plastic bags for yard waste is prohibited.

There will be no trash collection in Fairfax City on Thursday, Jan. 1 in observance of the New Year's Day holiday. Thursday and Friday routes will be collected on Jan. 2.

For Fairfax County collection customers, live Christmas trees will be picked up for recycling from Jan. 5 to 16, 2026. After that, customers will have to schedule a brush special pickup.

Fairfax County residents may also recycle holiday trees at the I-66 Transfer Station in Fairfax or I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton for a fee. Ornaments, decorations, tinsel and stands must be removed.

Residents with private curbside recycling services should seek more information about Christmas tree pickup from their homeowner's association or private waste collector.