Recycling your Christmas tree made easy by Los Angeles City Hall
L.A. City Councilmember Traci Parks says recycling isn't just environmentally responsible — it also reduces fire risks.
Los Angeles city leaders encouraged Angelenos to properly dispose of and recycle their Christmas trees — and detailed the various ways to do so.
At a Tuesday, Jan. 2 news conference at Fire Station 59 in the Sawtelle area, Los Angeles Councilmember Traci Park highlighted L.A.’s Christmas tree recycling program and said residents can request free curbside pickup, with the trees repurposed into mulch and compost.
“In the wake of the holiday season, proper Christmas tree recycling isn’t just about environmental responsibility — it’s a crucial step in reducing fire risks and alleviating the strain on our dedicated firefighters,” Park said in a statement.
Park noted that L.A. Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley discussed how improperly disposing of trees, especially in canyon and hillside communities, can pose a significant fire hazard.
“L.A. Sanitation’s recycling program not only ensures eco-friendly disposal but also provides valuable resources like compost and mulch, aiding in fire prevention efforts and lessening the burden on our firefighting heroes,” Park added.
Last week, the L.A. County Department of Public Works also announced its Christmas tree recycling season had began. In most areas of the county, residents can place natural Christmas trees on curbside next to the recycling and waste containers on scheduled trash-collection days in the next two-or-so weeks, depending on location.
Councilmember Park was joined Tuesday by Teresa Villegas, president of the city’s L.A. Board of Public Works; Barbara Romero, director and general manager of L.A. Sanitation and Environment; and Susana Reyes, a public works commissioner.
According to Park, there are three ways to schedule Christmas tree collection, which the city’s L.A. Environment and Sanitation oversees. All they ask is that decorations, tinsel — and tree stands — be removed:
— Angelenos can call the 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489; visit the MYLA311 and submit a service request; or go on lacitysan.org to schedule a bulky item pickup.
— Trees can also be left outside for pickup on regular collection days. If possible, residents are urged to cut trees into pieces and place them into a green bin.
— If a tree is too big to be cut, simply place the tree curbside next to the green waste bin. Artificial trees cannot be recycled and should be placed in the black container to go to the landfill.
Several drop-off sites are also available and can be found at https://bit.ly/3RB8CNe.
Similar to the City of L.A. rules, residents in county areas are asked to remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, nails and plastic containers, as well as plastic or metal tree stands.
No trees wrapped in plastic will be accepted by the county, nor will artificial trees.
A complete list of recycling rules, dates and drop-off sites specific to incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county can be found at https://pw.lacounty.gov/epd/xmastrees/.
Additional information on tree recycling, as well as environmental programs serving L.A. County, is available by calling 1-888-CLEAN LA between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday.