Two Ways to Recycle Old Christmas Trees

By Kymm Mann, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif., Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.

Dec. 27–Yuba-Sutter Disposal, Inc. and the Buttes Area Boy Scouts are teaming up for the ninth year to help local residents recycle their Christmas trees.

The Boy Scout group will collect the tree on a specified Saturday for a $5 donation. To have YSDI drivers pick up the tree, it must be cut into three-foot sections and be free of all decorations and other items.

The tree can be placed in the green recycling container or beside the cart bundled together or in a bag on the normal pickup day.

“You can make special arrangements for us to pick them up for a $5 charge, but that’s why we’re encouraging people to contact the Boy Scouts, because they receive the $5 as a donation and you don’t have to cut it in sections,” said Jackie Sillman, recycling coordinator for YSDI.

If a tree is not prepared properly, it will not be taken, she added.

Sillman said most trees weigh between 15 and 20 pounds and average between 6 and 7 feet tall. The space at the landfill thousands of spent Christmas trees would take would be outrageous, she said.

“By recycling them, all of the materials will be ground up and used as compost to keep it out of the landfill,” she said.

Last year, 320 tons of trees were mulched and kept from going into the landfill, Sillman said.

“The good thing is, tonnage has gone down due to the fact that so many people are using artificial trees,” she said. “There are other things you can do too. You can replant the tree, or grind them if you have a grinder and put it in your garden beds. The smell of evergreen lasts so long, it’s just amazing.”

Sillman also recommended cutting the branches from the tree and using them to protect tender or newly planted perennials, trees and shrubs from winter extremes.

The Boy Scouts will collect trees Dec. 21 and Jan. 7. To schedule a pickup, call 751-7883. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and a special pickup fee of $5 will be charged by YSDI to dispose of them.

For more information, call Jackie Sillman at 749-4220.

Appeal-Democrat reporter Kymm Mann can be reached at 749-4708. You may e-mail her at kmann@appeal-democrat.com.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.

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