How and Where to Recycle Real Christmas Trees in San Diego County

Christmas Tree Recycling Guide: How and Where to Recycle Real Christmas Trees in San Diego County

Among other benefits over fake trees, real Christmas trees can be composted or turned into mulch and returned to the earth. Trees sprayed with fake snow (flocked) trees cannot be composted.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY (Dec. 15, 2021) – Cut or living Christmas trees are more environmentally friendly than plastic trees. Selecting the real deal reduces the use of toxic materials and fossil fuels to produce their lifelike counterparts. Moreover, real trees can be returned to the earth as mulch or through composting, which returns valuable nutrients to the earth, reduces landfill space and greenhouse gas emissions.

For this year’s Christmas tree collection, the County of San Diego and I Love A Clean San Diego make it easy for residents to recycle their real Christmas trees. The countywide Christmas Tree Recycling Guide at WasteFreeSD.org, has a 2021 listing for curbside and drop-off locations in the region.

According to the EPA, organic materials like Christmas trees, food, and yard clippings are the number one material sent to landfills, composing two-thirds of the solid waste stream. In California, state law (SB 1383) is here to change that. It will require the recycling of Christmas trees as well as other organic waste-food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings and non-hazardous wood waste (i.e. lumber, pallets, etc.). To learn more, contact your local city or county and/or waste and recycling hauler about organic waste recycling in your area.

Before a tree is turned into mulch or composted, follow some simple tips to ensure they can be fully recycled.

Christmas Tree Recycling Tips

  • Do not flock or buy flocked trees. Fake snow (flock) contains chemicals that interfere with the composting process
  • If you choose to use tinsel it must be completely removed (and placed in the trash) from your tree before it can be recycled. Best option, don’t buy tinsel. It is a wasteful single-use plastic.
  • Make sure to remove all ornaments, garland, lights, nails, tree bags, and tree stands (metal or plastic) before recycling.
  • For areas where curbside tree recycling is available, trees taller than four feet should be cut in half. It is recommended that pieces be under four feet.
  • Reuse or donate artificial trees that are in good condition. Purchasing new plastic trees create more waste and greenhouse gasses.
  • Don’t let real trees sit around too long after the holidays. They can dry out and become fire hazards.
  • Organic wreaths and similar decorations can be recycled with trees.

About I Love A Clean San Diego

Founded in 1954, I Love A Clean San Diego is an environmental nonprofit supporting residents and businesses of San Diego County through youth and adult education, and local action through impactful volunteer events and workshops. As San Diego’s most influential advocate for sustainability, I Love A Clean San Diego’s programs are an environmental catalyst, awakening passion and inspiring action to empower everyone to be leaders in conservation and waste-free living. Our community is passion in action to maintain and improve the health of the home we love. For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit CleanSD.org or call (619) 291-0103. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Celebrate Sustainably: Gifts and Glitz Webinar

Celebrate Sustainably: Gifts & Glitz Webinar

Learn how to cultivate your very own waste-free winter wonderland this season at home! Join I Love A Clean San Diego on Saturday, December 12th from 10:00-11:00 am for our free Celebrate Sustainably: Gifts and Glitz webinar. We will discuss how to maintain a low-waste lifestyle while navigating the gift giving, wrapping, and décor of the holiday season. Participate in a live furoshiki demonstration (wrapping in fabric), learn how to properly dispose of your Christmas tree, and leave with low- or no-waste gift ideas to waste less throughout this season and beyond! Please register to receive the Zoom link. Thank you to the Unincorporated County of San Diego for sponsoring this event. Can’t wait to see you there!

Keep the Green Going…Recycle that Tree!

Today’s blog comes from our expert Recycling and Hotline Department. Have any questions? Give them a call at  1-877-R-1-EARTH!

Each holiday season, the County of San Diego and ILACSD work together to remind everyone that holiday recycling goes beyond just wrapping paper and gift boxes, your tree can be recycled too! This year, I Love A Clean San Diego is celebrating its 40th year of providing information on holiday tree recycling to San Diego residents! We have a long history in the Christmas tree recycling biz…

  • The War Against Litter Committee and The San Diego Ecology Center cosponsored the “Give Earth a Gift” tree recycling project in 1972. Then, our tree recycling hotline was staffed completely by volunteers. Today, our hotline and database are expanded to include recycling information all year round. 
  • The purpose of the project was to expand public awareness and encourage active participation in reducing unnecessary waste of dead Christmas trees.
  • Drop off locations were placed at San Diego high schools; special awards were given to the three schools receiving the most trees, were given plaques engraved with the words “Good Earthkeeping Seal of Approval”
Starting in 1972, ILACSD has been your go-to tree recycling resource
Starting in 1972, ILACSD has been your go-to tree recycling resource!

Throwing away your holiday tree and other foliage needlessly wastes a natural resource and decreases the capacity of local landfills. Trees and yard trimmings are easily recyclable into mulch and compost which are then used to improve soil health at residences, public parks, and local farms. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, 25-30 million holiday trees are sold each year in the United States. Most waste haulers offer special holiday tree recycling programs to pick up trees with yard waste on regular collection days.

In addition to curbside pick-up, tree drop-off sites are located in the communities of Bonsall, Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Escondido, Fallbrook, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Ramona, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Valley Center, Vista and several communities in the City of San Diego. Here’s a complete list of Christmas tree recycling locations.

recycling_a_tree2

I Love A Clean San Diego operates San Diego County’s official recycling website and call center which refers thousands of residents to the proper facilities to recycle or dispose of just about anything. From broken surfboards to wine corks, railroad ties to cooking oil, WasteFreeSD makes recycling quick and convenient. San Diego County residents can go to: www.WasteFreeSD.org or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH to learn how to recycle their holiday trees as well as hundreds of other items. Before recycling your holiday tree, review this list of recycling tips to ensure that your tree is recycled properly:

  • Trees taller than four feet should be cut in half.
  • All tree stands, nails and tree decorations must be removed.
  • Check with your local hauler to see if they accept flocked trees (trees covered in faux snow or glitter), most do not.
Click to find out where to recycle your Christmas tree and more!
Click to find out where to recycle your Christmas tree and more!

Keep the Green Going…Recycle that tree!

Tis the season to recycle and I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) is breaking down the post-holiday basics, starting with recycling your Christmas tree. Every December, ILACSD’s Disposal Solution Center provides accurate information for the proper recycling of holiday trees.

Christmas Tree

Instead of overcrowding local landfills with holiday trees, collected trees can be ground up into high quality mulch or composted and used to enrich soils for next years’ trees and poinsettias! Most waste haulers offer special holiday tree recycling programs to pick up trees with yard waste on regular collection days. In addition to curbside pick-up, tree drop-off sites are located in the communities of Carlsbad, Coronado, El Cajon, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, lemon Grove, National City, Ramona, San Diego, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista and Unincorporated County.

Your tree is not the only item you can recycle; wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, packaging peanuts are also accepted for recycling many places. Plus, remember to donate unwanted electronics, clothing, and toys to local charities for reuse.

“I Love A Clean San Diego bridges the gap between residents and recyclers, giving San Diegans the opportunity to make the right choice for the environment”, says Pauline Martinson, ILACSD’s Executive Director.

I Love A Clean San Diego operates San Diego County’s only recycling website and call center which refers thousands of residents to the proper facilities to recycle or dispose of just about anything. From broken surfboards to wine corks, railroad ties to cooking oil, ILACSD’s Disposal Solution Center makes recycling quick and convenient. San Diego County residents can go to: www.wastefreesd.org or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH to learn how to recycle hundreds items.

Holiday Tree Recycling Tips:

  • Trees taller than four feet should be cut in half
  • All tree stands, nails and tree decorations must be removed
  • Check with your local hauler to see if they accept flocked trees

A complete list of tree recycling locations is available through our one-stop recycling database, www.wastefreesd.org or by calling 1-877-R-1-EARTH. Remember to Recycle that Tree!

Recycling from Past to Present

This week was a big one for the environmental community. Monday we celebrated America Recycles Day across the country with a proclamation from President Obama himself. While it was long and a bit dry, there were a few parts that really resonated with us, and reassured us of the importance of our work.

Each small act of conservation, when combined with other innumerable deeds across the country, can have an enormous impact on the health of our environment.  On America Recycles Day, we celebrate the individuals, communities, local governments, and businesses that work together to recycle waste and develop innovative ways to manage our resources more sustainably.

Recycling is important, and for some it’s easier than others. When I Love A Clean San Diego made the commitment to serve the community in 1954, recycling was term rarely used. Through phone book recycling drives, Christmas tree recycling programs, electronic waste collection events and our Disposal Solution Center, www.wastefreesd.org, I Love A Clean San Diego has always been first to tackle a recycling challenge.

We were especially happy to hear the report out on Monday from the City of San Diego which announced that the 2010 recycling diversion rate is their highest ever, at 66%. While we don’t want to strain a muscle patting ourselves on the back for this accomplishment, we know that I Love A Clean San Diego’s efforts over the past 56 years may have something to do with this recycling success. But, as a city and a county, there is still room for improvement. Why not shoot for 75% diversion from our landfills? But how?

Good news for those of you living in within the City of San Diego. The City of San Diego also announced on Monday that they will be accepting many more “rigid plastics” in the blue curbside bins. These items include clean plastic food packaging, plant pots, toys, even lawn furniture. The complete press release with all the new rigid plastic rules can be found on the City of San Diego’s website.

And to provide some inspiration for all of us who sometimes struggle with recycling, here’s another excerpt from Obama’s proclamation.

On America Recycles Day, let us respond to our collective responsibility as a people and a Nation to be better stewards of our global environment, and to pass down a planet to future generations that is better than we found it.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!