How to Dispose of a Christmas Tree in Berea

BEREA, OH - Now that Christmas is over and the countdown to the end of 2016 is on, you probably want to know how to get rid of that dead tree in your house. Luckily, the City of Berea has clear, easy-to-follow guidelines on how to get rid of your Christmas tree.

For those of you who chopped down a tree and brought it on home, you can leave the conifer on the curb on Jan. 7 and Jan. 13. The city will then collect and dispose of the tree for you. Common sense and the city ask that you strip the tree of any accoutrements you may have decorated your tree with. Namely, don't leave lights or ornaments on your tree. Do not place the trees in plastic bags.

If you have questions, you can call the city's service garage at (440) 826-5853.

Christmas lights, power strips, and extension cords can be recycled at the Berea Recreation Center, 451 Front St. through Jan. 6.

Going Eco-Friendly

According to the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, nearly 10 million Christmas trees end up in landfills each year. That's a lot of Blue Spruces. If you're feeling a pang of guilt about contributing to the buildup of conifers, you can still do your part to help the environment. Before you try and stuff your tree into the recycling bin (it won't fit, we tried), know that some local farms will accept your Christmas tree as a recyclable donation. Why do they do that? Because they can use the tree as animal feed.

Which is why, if you're donating your tree for that reason, you should double and triple check to make sure you rid that Scotch Pine of every last tinsel and ornament you placed there for the season. You don't want Black Beauty choking on that handmade ornament your nephew made you.

If you want to be as eco-friendly as possible, here are a list of farms that will take your Christmas trees as animal feed. You can find that list here.

Photo from Patch Files