Marin refuse collectors offer free Christmas tree disposal

Waste management agencies in Marin are offering free Christmas tree disposal services.

The Marin Hazardous and Solid Waste Joint Powers Authority, also known as Zero Waste Marin, has compiled dropoff locations, dates and times for its 11-member agencies, said Julian Kaelon, a spokesperson for the Marin County Department of Public Works.

“Each year, ZWM gathers the relevant information from all the various waste hauler companies that serve Marin, and then puts the details into an informational flyer and posts it on the ZWM website,” he said. “So it’s more of a handy resource to help people properly compost their trees instead of just putting them into the trash, where the trees end up in landfills.”

The trees will be recycled as organic compost instead of being discarded in county landfills.

Trees can be placed curbside on the respective pickup days for participating agencies.

Zero Waste Marin is overseen by the Marin County Department of Public Works Waste Management Division and includes representatives from Belvedere, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Larkspur, Mill Valley, Novato, Ross, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Sausalito, Tiburon and the county.

In San Anselmo, curbside collection will be available from Jan. 6 to 17. Trees set out after that date can be collected for $5, and customers must notify the service about the pickup.

The trees must have stands, ornaments, lights and tinsel removed. If a tree is more than 6 feet tall, it must be cut in half. Trees can also be cut into pieces and discarded in green compost trash bins. Artificial trees are not eligible for the service and may be discarded at a landfill for a fee.

The county recommends that apartment building tenants coordinate with neighbors for a single pickup date at their sites.

Sandeep Karkal, general manager of the Novato Sanitary District, said Recology Sonoma Marin, the hauler for the service area, said trees can be placed on the curb or in bins between Jan. 6 and 10.

Bill Hansell, district manager of the Alto Sanitary District, said its tree disposal service is being offered through Mill Valley Refuse Service. Trees cannot be longer than 5 feet and must be placed on the curb on customers’ regular collection day after Thursday, Jan. 2.

Bay Cities Refuse, which provides service in the Sausalito and Marin City area, does not have date restrictions. Trees longer than 7 feet must be cut in half.

Marin Sanitary Service in San Rafael offers pickup from Jan. 6 to 17. Residents should place trees are on the curb on regular collection days.

Recology Sonoma Marin also offers the service in western Marin, but trees must be placed in green bins or delivered to dropoff locations.

The Tamalpais Community Services District offers curbside pickup from Jan. 7 to 10 on regular collection days. The charge is $30 charge for collection outside the date range.

Tree dropoff sites:

Bolinas: Bolinas-Stinson Resource Recovery Project, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 25 Olema Bolinas Road.

Kentfield: Thursday, Jan. 2 to Jan. 7, College of Marin, 700 College Ave., parking lot 12 south of the gym.

Larkspur: Thursday, Jan. 2 to Jan. 7, Piper Park, 250 Doherty Drive; Niven Park, Drakes Landing Road and Barry Way.

Marinwood: Thursday, Jan. 2 to Jan. 7, Marinwood Community Center parking lot, 775 Miller Creek Road.

Point Reyes Station: Through Jan. 7 from 8  a.m. to 5 p.m. at the fire station at Fourth and B streets.

Ross: Thursday, Jan. 2 to Jan. 17, Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.

Sausalito: Through Jan. 31, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy parking lot of Coloma Street.

San Rafael: Month of January, Marin Resource Recovery Center, 565 Jacoby St. Customers can drop off up to two trees for free.

San Rafael: Thursday, Jan. 2 to Jan. 17 at Pickleweed Park; the Al Boro Community Center at 50 Canal St; and Scotty’s Market parking lot at 620 Manuel T. Freitas Parkway.

Tomales: Through Jan. 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the fire station at 599 Dillon Beach Road.

Woodacre: Through Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the fire station at 33 Castle Rock Road.