What goes up, must eventually come down. And, while I do keep my Christmas Tree up as long as possible, there does come the day when I have to ask myself, “How do I get rid of my Christmas Tree?”
“We encourage people to recycle their Christmas trees if possible,” said Kim Harless, a Solid Waste Operations Specialist. “Recycling keeps those natural resources from being lost to the landfill, and the trees will be reused as mulch or fuel.” All lights, tinsel, ornaments and other human-made materials must be removed from trees.
The Boy Scouts of America will be collecting trees in Battle Ground, Camas, Vancouver and Washougal. Starting at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, scouts will pick up trees left in front of homes. The service is free, but donations will be accepted. Suggested donation is $7.
Waste Connections, Inc. will pick up trees during its yard debris collection or regular garbage service available in most parts of the county. Trees taller than 5 feet must be cut into smaller sections no longer than 5 feet, regardless of whether they will be collected with yard debris or garbage. Flocked and artificial trees cannot be recycled with yard debris.
Yard debris customers may put smaller trees into their carts. They also may place a single 5-foot or less tree or section of a tree next to their cart for no additional charge. Customers who place more than one section or more than one tree next to the cart will be charged an extra yard debris pickup fee.
Customers who do not have yard debris service can put trees next to their garbage containers and pay for an extra 32-gallon collection. Trees collected with garbage will be sent to the landfill.
For $5 or less, residents also can dispose of Christmas trees of any size at the following locations:
Central Transfer Recycling, 11034 N.E. 117th Ave., (360) 256-8482
City Bark, 2419 N.E. Andresen Road, (360) 253-8461
H&H Wood Recyclers, 8401 N.E. 117th Ave., (360) 892-2805
McFarlane’s Bark, 8806 N.E. 117th Ave., (360) 892-6125
Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union St., Camas, (360) 834-7253
Washougal Transfer Station, 4020 S. Grant St., (360) 835-2500
West Van Materials Center, 6601 N.W. Old Lower River Road, (360) 737-1727
For more information on holiday recycling, call Clark County Public Health at (360) 397-2121 ext. 4352 or visit www.recyclingA-Z.com.
