When, How To Recycle Your Christmas Trees In PG County, Bowie

BOWIE, MD -- All the gifts have been unwrapped, all the eggnog has been consumed, and all the children have started playing with their new toys. All that's left is the cleanup and that means putting away the holiday decorations and disposing of or recycling your Christmas tree.

In the City of Bowie, yard waste crews will be collecting Christmas trees for recycling as part of the regular Wednesday pickup throughout January. Residents are asked to remove all ornaments and decorations from your tree and leave it at the curb. Tree should not be put in bags.

City offices will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1, in observance of the New Year's Day Holiday. There will be no trash pickup on that day, but recycling will be collected.

In Prince George's County, yard trim and Christmas tree collection for recycling will be available Dec. 30-Jan. 27. County residents with yard trim collection can place their undecorated and unbagged trees at the curb by 6 a.m. on their regular yard trim collection day.

County residents can also drop their trees off at these collection centers to be recycled:

• Brown Station Road Public Container Pad & Recycling Center, 3301 Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772; Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, closed.
• Missouri Ave. Solid Waste Acceptance & Recycling Center, 12701 Missouri Ave., Brandywine, MD 20613; Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Tuesday & Thursday, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, closed.

Christmas trees are biodegradable, which means recycled or reused for mulch and other purposes. Here are some ways to recycle trees from the National Christmas Tree Association:

• Curbside pick-up for recycling: Many providers will collect trees during regular pickup schedules on the two weeks following Christmas. There are often requirements for size, removing ornaments, flocking, etc.
• Yard waste: Cut the tree to fit loosely into your yard waste container.
• Tree recycling/mulching programs: Tree recycling and mulching programs are a fast-growing trend in communities throughout the nation. Check with your local department of public works for information. They chip and shred the trees, then make the mulch available for use in your garden. Your hauler will notify you of pick-up dates in your area. Be sure to check with your local hauler.
• Nonprofit pickup: Call for an appointment to have a nonprofit organization in your area pickup your tree. Some Boy Scout troops offer a pickup service for a small donation.