Start a "green" tradition...recycle your Christmas tree

San Antonians are asked to take part in a holiday "tree-dition" by recycling their fresh cut Christmas trees. Residents who receive garbage or recycling collection on Monday or Thursday are asked to place their tree out on Wednesday, January 6, while residents that receive collection on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday are asked to place their trees out on Saturday, January 9.
Trees should be placed out curbside no later than 7:00 a.m. on this special scheduled collection day.

Below are guidelines to help residents prepare their Christmas tree for collection:

• Strip of all decorations, nails and stands before being placed out for collection;
• Trees longer than six feet should be cut in half.
• Do not wrap tree in plastic.
• Place tree on the front curb for collection; no trees will be picked up in alleys.
• Flocked trees will be accepted.

 All trees collected will be taken to the Bitters Brush Recycling Center, 1800 Bitters Road, and shredded into pine mulch. The mulch from Christmas trees will be available to the public for free on a "first come, first serve" basis beginning Saturday, January 16, at the Bitters Brush Recycling Center. Residents will also be asked to load their own mulch as well as present a recent CPS Energy bill indicating the City's solid waste payment fee and a driver's license to validate residency to avoid being charged a service fee. The brush center is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Residents who miss the January recycle dates can take their Christmas trees to the Bitters Road Brush Recycling Center free of charge through the end of January, with identification as a City Solid Waste rate payer during normal business hours. Residents may only drop off their Christmas trees free of charge; fees will be charged for additional brush.

For more information on Christmas tree recycling and obtaining free pine mulch, call 3-1-1.