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In 2018, DSNY collected more than 200,000 Christmas trees for tree-cycling.
By Forum Staff
The City Department of Sanitation will begin its annual curbside collection of Christmas trees starting Monday, Jan. 6, DSNY officials announced last week. Collection runs through Friday, Jan. 17, weather permitting.
According to Sanitation, residents should remove all stands, tinsel, lights and ornaments before putting trees out for collection. After collection, clean, non-bagged Christmas trees will be chipped, mixed with leaves, and recycled into compost for parks, institutions, and community gardens across the five boroughs.
“Give your Christmas tree new life after Christmas,” said Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia. “While Christmas trees are in our homes for only a short period of time, tree-cycling gives them a longer life. After collection, the trees are chipped and recycled into compost to help plants and trees in our city’s parks and community gardens. Thanks to all residents for taking part in the program.”
If you need to discard a mostly plastic and metal artificial tree, Sanitation reps said you should consider selling or donating them. Donation opportunities may be found at nyc.gov/donate. Otherwise, if possible, take the tree apart to recycle the base and trunk (pole) with metal, glass, plastic and cartons. Remove all lights, ornaments and tinsel before placing at the curb on regular collection days, officials warned. If the tree is greater than 4 feet, you should make a bulk pick-up appointment by calling 311.
Last year, DSNY collected more than 200,000 Christmas trees for tree-cycling.
According to the Parks Department, Mulchfest—an additional option to recycle your tree—is already underway. This year it runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 11. With 67 total drop-off sites—32 are chipping sites—across the five boroughs, including parks and GreenThumb gardens, New Yorkers will be able drop off holiday trees which are then chipped and recycled.
There are 14 total Mulchfest posts in Queens. Forest Park (Forest Park Drive and Woodhaven Boulevard) and Juniper Valley Park (80th Street between Juniper Boulevard North and South) are listed as chipping locations on the Parks website; while 94th Street and Shorefront Parkway in Rockaway Beach is a drop-off only site.
This year, Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver noted, New Yorkers also have two consecutive Saturdays when they can actively mulch their holiday trees—Jan. 4 and 11.
“Recycling trees is one of the easiest ways to show our commitment to caring for our urban forest, giving holiday trees new life by turning them into much needed fertilizer,” Silver added.
According to Parks officials, if you want to make your own mulch, use evergreen boughs and branches from your Christmas tree as mulch to enrich the soil in your garden or street tree beds. Just cut off the smaller branches of your tree and remove the twigs from evergreen boughs. Lay 3 to 4 inches of these trimmings over the bare soil around street trees or in your garden. After removing the branches for mulch, you can take your tree to Mulchfest or leave it out for our collection.
