“Tree-cycling” Your Christmas Tree in NYC

Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia announced that the New York City Department of Sanitation would begin its annual Christmas tree curbside collection on Tuesday, January 2. Collection will run through Saturday, January 13, 2018, weather permitting.

City residents should remove all stands, tinsel, lights and ornaments before putting trees out for collection. Clean, non-bagged Christmas trees left on the curb between Tuesday, January 2 and Saturday, January 13, will be chipped, mixed with leaves, and recycled into compost for the city’s parks, institutions and community gardens.

Those wishing to dispose of mostly plastic and metal fake Christmas trees should remove all ornaments and put them out next to your recycling on regular recycling days.

NYC Parks provides additional options for tree-cycling via their annual MulchFest event which will be held on Saturday, January 6 and Sunday, January 7 from 10;00am to 2:00pm at locations across the city. Participants may bring a bag to take home mulch for use in personal gardens. Those not able to attend MulchFest can use NYC Parks’ drop-off sites, which are accepting trees Sunday, December 31 through Sunday, January 7. To find chipping sites or drop-off locations, visit nyc.gov/parks and search “MulchFest.” Remove all lights, ornaments, decorations and netting from trees before attending the events.

For more information on Christmas tree collection and recycling or MulchFest, visit www.nyc.gov/dsny, www.nyc.gov/parks or call 311.