Is it time to take down your live (or now half-live) holiday tree? Instead of trashing it, town officials across the area implore you to recycle your used Christmas tree.
Programs across Chicago and the suburbs offer free locations to drop off live trees where your festive centerpiece will continue on as mulch.
In Chicago, the city's annual Holiday Tree Recycling program uses Christmas tree mulch at local parks and forests.
Where to Recycle Christmas Trees in Chicago
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Residents can drop off their live trees from Jan. 7-26, 2023, at one of 26 Chicago parks. In order to be recycled, all trees must be free of tinsel, ornaments, lights and stands. They also must be rid of any plastic bags. Garlands and wreaths will not be collected, the city noted.
Trees will be accepted during regular park hours at the following locations:
- Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.
- Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.
- Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.
- Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave.
- Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Dr.
- Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave.
- Jackson Park, 6300 S. Cornell Ave.
- Kennedy Park, 2427 W. 113th St.
- Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.
- Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.
- Lincoln Park, Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave. (East side of Cannon Dr.)
- Mahalia Jackson Park, 8385 S. Birkhoff Ave.
- Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Dr.
- Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.
- McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd.
- Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
- North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.
- Norwood Park, 5800 N Avondale Ave. (Service Yard)
- Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
- Riis Park, 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.
- Rowan Park, 11546 S. Ave. L
- Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.
- Walsh Park, 1722 N. Ashland Ave.
- Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
- Wentworth Park, 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.
- West Chatham Park, 8223 S. Princeton Ave.
Six spots will also provide free mulch on a first-come, first-served basis starting Jan. 9, 2023: Lincoln Park, Margate Park, Mt. Greenwood Park, North Park Village, Warren Park and Forestry Site.
Local
According to the city, 22,236 Christmas trees were mulched through the recycling program, diverting approximately 775,000 pounds from landfills in 2020.
Where to Recycle Christmas Trees in Chicago's Suburbs
In Chicago's suburbs, sanitation services often pick up Christmas trees as household waste, and in many cases will turn the trees into mulch that's later made available to area residents.
Those tree pickups will vary, though, so it's best to check with your local department for more information. Most services require trees to be free of all decorations and plastic bags.
The website pickyourownchristmastree.org made a list of dedicated Christmas tree recycling programs in Chicago's suburbs. Some of the programs are already underway, so check the list for the program closest to you.
In addition, some locations of The Home Depot also hold live tree collection events. The company recommends calling your local store to ask if one is scheduled.
