LOS ANGELES, Calif.–City residents will again be able to recycle their Christmas trees this year, with Los Angeles officials today urging residents to avoid throwing trees in the garbage.
“Something as simple as recycling your Christmas tree can help Los Angeles move away from landfills and closer to reducing, reusing and recycling more of our waste,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. “The city can turn these trees into mulch or compost, which is then used for landscaping and gardens around the city. It is the gift that keeps on giving.”
Residents should remove all decorations and the stand from the tree, cut it into pieces and place it into the green yard-trimming bin. Residents who are unable to cut up the tree or place it in a bin can leave the tree on the curb on the weekly trash-collection day.
The city will also have 20 drop-off sites that will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 2. A list of drop-off sites will be posted at www.lacity.org.
Los Angeles has had a tree-recycling program in place since 1992. Each year, about 100,000 Christmas trees are recycled, according to the city.
