Options for safely disposing of, recycling your live Christmas trees

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - It’s fun putting up a live Christmas tree every year — depending on if you’re watching or getting your hands covered in sap — but now it’s time for them to come down.

Christmas tree recycling is a way to give back to the environment after the gifting season ends. It keeps it out of local landfills and helps support ecosystems.

First, remove all the ornaments, tinsel, and garland to leave on the curb. If yours is covered with roots, either put them in a container or balled up and put them in your landscaping if you want.

Large trees greater than 7 feet tall may need to be cut down to a specified size depending on the drop-off program you have near you.

You can also donate your bare trees to places like Sunset Trails Stables in Lee’s Summit after the holiday season. iFamilyKC has several drop-off sites available.

Do not burn your tree in the fireplace or wood stove because that could cause the tree to ignite, causing a house fire.

Use your tree to make your own mulch by renting or buying a woodchipper. You can store it for a year before using the old tree.

Trees can be sunk into ponds to make a feeding area for fish – you can use it on your own property, but it wouldn’t be advisable to just dump a tree in your local pond. Check with your city to see if they collect them that way.

You can also feed the birds by placing the tree in your backyard to create a bird habitat.

Other options for where to recycle your tree can be found here.

Copyright 2022 KCTV. All rights reserved.