How and where you can recycle your Christmas tree in DC

Cami Mondeaux

January 01, 05:00 AM January 01, 05:00 AM

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As the holiday season comes to a close, many Washington, D.C., residents are looking to pack up their decorations and toss out their Christmas trees — with officials imploring city dwellers to dispose of their evergreen conifers properly.

Christmas tree collections in the district are scheduled to begin on Jan. 3 and run until March 3, according to the city government. During this time, residents can leave their trees outside their homes on the curb, where city crews will pick them up within five days to be composted.

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“Christmas trees and greenery are some of the ways we beautify our homes during the holidays,” Michael Carter, the interim director of the Department of Public Works, said. “The holiday tree and greenery collection program provides an opportunity to reuse trees and greenery for composting, which furthers Mayor [Muriel] Bowser’s Zero Waste goals.”

For those who live in larger apartment buildings that may not receive collection service from the DPW, residents can take their trees to drop-off areas located at the Benning Road Transfer Station on 3200 Benning Road NE and the Guy Mason Recreation Center on 3600 Calvert Street NW.

When recycling one’s tree, the city instructs residents to ensure all lights and ornaments are removed before placing it outside. Trees should not be placed in bags, city officials said.

Any string LED lights that residents want to recycle can be dropped off at the Benning Road location on Saturday between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. District residents are also permitted to recycle a number of other items, such as eggnog cartons, cans, pie tins, nonmetallic wrapping paper, and flattened cardboard boxes. Holiday ribbons should not be recycled and must be placed in the trash, according to the city.

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All materials that are collected will be composted as part of the mayor’s Zero Waste program, which aims to reduce waste in the district. Trees and other greenery will be collected for compost until March 3, and residents can collect up to five 32-gallon bags of free compost year-round while supplies last, according to the DPW.

Any trees that are recycled after March 3 are not guaranteed to be composted, but residents can place the greenery outside their homes to be discarded.