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How to get rid of your Christmas Tree in North Texas

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CBS News Texas Live

NORTH TEXAS — There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of when you should take down your Christmas tree

A unique way to dispose of your natural tree is to give a local farm animal a meal like the goats at Bonton Farms.

However, if you can't feed a goat, North Texas cities have shared their guidelines for how to dispose of your tree when you do decide to part with the holiday cheer.

Arlington

The City of Arlington will be accepting Christmas trees for recycling through Friday, January 12, 2024.

Curbside

  • Trees may be placed on the curb during normal designated pick-up days.
  • Trees taller than 6 feet should be cut in half.

Note: Trees collected during pick-up will not be recycled.

Drop-off

  • Trees dropped off at one of the two designated locations will be recycled.
  • The mulching facility center at the Arlington Landfill - 800 Mosier Valley Road, Arlington, TX
  • Calloway's Nursery - 4940 S. Cooper Street, Arlington, TX
  • Mulch made from the recycled trees will be available to Arlington residents in the spring.

Note: Be sure to removed all ornaments, tree stands, nails, etc. before disposing of trees.

Dallas

The City of Dallas is accepting Christmas tree drop-offs for recycling through Saturday, February 3, 2024.

Curbside 

  • Dallas residents can place trees and other holiday materials out for collection during their scheduled brush and bulky waste days.

Note: If a tree is placed for pick-up the tree will be disposed of, but will not be recycled.

Drop-off 

  • Northwest (Bachman) Transfer Station - 9500 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX
  • McCommas Bluff Landfill - 5100 Youngblood Road, Dallas, TX
  • Trees for recycling must be real and not flocked.
  • Trees will be mulched to be used on city property or by a community partner.
  • Trees not eligible for recycling will be sent for general waste disposal
  • Trees must not have any decorations, lights, nails, etc.

Note: If a tree is dropped off at the Northeast (Fair Oaks) or Southwest (Westmoreland) transfer stations, the tree will be disposed of, but will not be recycled.  

Denton 

The City of Denton is accepting live Christmas trees to recycle and artificial Christmas trees for disposal.

Curbside

  • Live trees can be collected with brush collection. Place limbs and branches of the tree at the curb next to your garbage cart on your collection date. Be sure to cut the tree into pieces of 6ft each. Fees will apply for any amount over 4 cubic yards.
  • Live trees can also be collected as part of yard waste collection. Place yard waste at the curb on your collection date in either a Denton City issues Yard Waste Cart, or kraft paper bags next to your garbage cart.
  • An artificial tree is part of the household bulky items collection. This type of collection must be scheduled by calling 940-349-8700 at least one business day before collection day. Denton residents can have up to two large household items picked up weekly for free.

Drop-off

Note: Remove all tinsel, lights, decorations, and tree stands from Christmas trees before placing them outside for collection.  

Fort Worth

The City of Fort Worth is accepting live, flocked, and artificial Christmas trees for disposal.

Curbside

  • Live trees can be put on the curb as part of the weekly yard waste pickup.
  • Do not put the tree in a plastic bag.
  • Flocked trees are accepted.
  • Artificial trees should be disposed of in the city's brown garbage carts.

Note: Cut the tree in two pieces if necessary, trees must be less than eight feet long.

Drop-off

There are four drop-off stations for the City of Fort Worth at the following locations:

  • 2400 Brennan Ave, Fort Worth, TX
  • 5150 Martin Luther King Freeway, Fort Worth, TX
  • 6260 Old Hemphill Road, Fort Worth, TX
  • 301 Hillshire Drive, Fort Worth, TX

Note: All decorations including ornaments, tinsel, tree stands, and nails must be removed before disposal.

Frisco

The City of Frisco accepts live trees for recycling and disposal. Do-It Yourself, also known as drop-off, disposal of trees is accepted in January.

Curbside

Live trees collected by the city with be recycled to me made into compost and mulch.

  • Cut trees over five feet high into sections. This means sections should be no more than 4 feet in length, or 60 pounds each.
  • Covering a tree with a plastic bag will prevent pickup.
  • Place trees at the edge of the property on your normal trash/ recycling day.
  • If you have a flocked tree, call Frisco Environmental Services at 972-292-5900 to schedule bulk pick-up.

Drop-off 

  • The Environmental Collection Center will accept trees during regular drop-off hours for the month of January.

Note: Remove tree bases, supports, ornaments and other decorations before disposing using either method.

Irving

Tree recycling through the City of Irving is available through January 14, 2024. 

Curbside 

  • The city will collect fresh-cut trees as part of the city's brush and bulky waste collection on the resident's regularly scheduled collection day. 

Drop-off

  • Cottonwood Creek Park - 4051 N. Story Road, Irving TX
  • Hunter Ferrell Landfill - 110 E. Hunter Ferrell Road, Irving, TX (Monday - Saturday, 7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
  • Las Colinas Service Center - South Parking Lot - 5964 Riverside Drive, Irving, TX
  • Southwest Park - 2800 W. Shady Grove Road, Irving, TX

Note: All decorations including tree stands, lights, tinsel, nails and ornaments must be removed before disposal. The trees collected by the city are mulched and made available for purchase at the Hunter Ferrell Landfill for residents to use.

Lewisville

The City of Lewisville is accepting live Christmas trees for recycling purposes through Friday, January 12, 2024.

Drop-off

  • Trees can be dropped off at Lewisville Lake Park soccer fields. 
  • Trees must have decorations, nails, lights and tree stands removed before being dropped off.
  • Free mulch from the recycled trees will be available at the drop-off site through Wednesday, January 31.

Richardson

"Tree Cycling" is available from the City of Richardson through February 2, 2024.

Curbside

  • Natural and unflocked Christmas trees can be picked up upon request as a Brush and Bulky Item Collection.  
  • Call 972-744-4111 to request a tree be collected for composting before your designated collection day.

Drop-off

  • Municipal Service Center - 1260 Columbia Drive, Richardson, TX

Note: All ornaments, tinsel, tree stands, nails, lights, etc. must be removed before disposal.

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