How to Recycle or Dispose of Christmas TreesWhere and How to Recycle or Dispose of Christmas Trees in Florida after Christmas 2023 and in January 2024

How to Recycle or Dispose of Christmas Trees

In many urban and suburban areas, Christmas trees are collected from curbside during the first 2 weeks in January. Be sure to remove all remove all lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, stands, other NON-Organic decorative materials and other materials that are not part of the original tree. This includes tree stands also. Flocked trees are usually accepted, but not artificial trees. Large trees (larger than the standard 6 - 7 ft tree) may need to be cut in half to be acceptable by your garbage hauler. But scrroll down this page for more specific information and local links.

What happens to the trees? In most cases, the trees are chipped and made into a mulch which is usually made available, free to city or county residents. Important: Never burn your Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood stove. Burning the tree may contribute to creosote buildup and could cause a chimney fire.

Tips: Always follow the links (usually the name of the city or county) below for updated information, as these agencies often wait until the last minute to change dates or update their information (it's government, remember?). If your area is Grinding Christmas trees into mulchnot specifically mentioned below, contact your trash collection agency and inquire!

Related information:

See this page for local options to easily recycle your Christmas holiday lights

If it has just snowed; see this page about how to make snocones from real snow! Your kids will love it!

Click here for the list of winter sleigh ride locations!

See our easy recipes to make a Chocolate Yule log and click here to make your own low-fat, low calorie but delicious Egg Nog ! Then come back to our other website in March to find a local Easter Egg Hunt for your children ! There are affiliate links on this page. Read our disclosure policy to learn more.

Florida: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays January 2024

  • Alachua County, FL - The trees can be recycled: . Residents with curbside pickup service can put live cut Christmas trees on the curb for pickup on yard trash collection day. Trees can be dropped off at any Alachua County Rural Collection Centers at no charge. All lights and ornaments must be removed from the tree before it is collected by the waste hauler. Please call for details before dropping off.
  • Bonita Springs - Curbside pickup. Christmas trees should be free of decorations and the tree stand.
    Remove all tinsel and decorations and place curbside on yard waste pick up day.
  • Broward County - Chip a tree program. Click the link at left for all park locations.
  • Charlotte County - Waste Management of Florida invites residents to recycle their trees through its curbside tree collection program. Residential curbside tree collection will take place the first two weeks following Christmas on
    customers' scheduled collection day. When placing trees on the curb for collection, customers should follow these guidelines:
    Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands, and place your tree on the curb for recycling.
    Place trees that are un-flocked or do not have artificial snow and colorings at the curb.
    Trees taller than six feet must be cut in half.
    Please note that flocked trees with artificial snow cannot be recycled. Your trash collector will collect them.
    Residents that live in multi-family complexes should contact their property manager for proper disposal.
  • Citrus County - Citrus County residents can recycle their "natural" Christmas Trees at the Citrus County Central Landfill, FREE OF CHARGE, during the period from December 1st through January 30th. Artificial trees brought to landfill for disposal will be charged standard solid waste trash rates.
  • - Single family residences with curbside collection service may place Christmas trees curbside on their regularly scheduled yard waste collection day and the tree will be collected free of charge. Trees must be free of all decorations including lights, tinsel, ornaments, etc. Do not wrap trees in plastic. Trees over six feet in length must be cut in Multi-family complexes - those with dumpster and compactor service - contact your property management. Do not place trees in dumpsters or compactors. Christmas trees may also be taken to one of Collier County's Recycling Drop-off Centers at no charge.
  • Davie, FL - Residents can place Christmas Trees as a part of your bulk pickup. Otherwise, Waste Management will be picking up Christmas Trees at the curb during the first 2 full weeks of January.Christmas Tree. Christmas trees that are left at the curb for pick-up will NOT be recycled. Please note that your tree may not be picked up on your regular scheduled garbage day, so just leave the tree curbside and it will get picked up during the week by another truck. There is no need to call for a tree pick up unless it does not get picked up in a week. Click here for information on the Broward County Chip-A-Tree Program . There is no need to call for a tree pick up unless it does not get picked up in a week. Please recycle your Christmas Trees.
  • Delray Beach residents can drop their Christmas trees at the Barwick, Orchard View and Knowles parks.
  • Escambia County, FL - Christmas Tree Collections in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties: ECUA customers in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties may place real wreaths and Christmas trees at the curb for pick-up with their regular yard waste collection. Customers are asked to remove all tinsel and decorations from their trees before placing them at the curb, and to ensure that trees, or portions thereof, are no more than 6 feet in length. Trees can be placed at the curb with other yard trash, and should not be placed in the recycling cans or green garbage containers. For more information, please call ECUA Customer Service at 476-0480.
  • Fort Lauderdale - You have 5 different options, including curbside pick up and park drop-off; click here for details.
  • Fort Myers - Curbside pickup. Christmas trees should be free of decorations and the tree stand.
    Remove all tinsel and decorations and place curbside on yard waste pick up day.
  • Gainesville, F L - Christmas trees can be left at the curb for pickup, but 1) you must strip it clean of ornaments and tinsel, and 2) trees taller than 6 feet need to be cut in half. Curbside tree recycling will continue for the first three weeks in January. Those in the city without curbside trash pickup can take their tree to Wood Resource Recovery to be recycled. Call (352) 334-2330 or email: [email protected].
  • Hernando County - Live Christmas trees may be disposed of on your regularly scheduled yard waste day if the trees are cut to under 4 foot lengths and cleaned of all Christmas decorations, including tinsel.
  • Hillsborough County - Click here for locations, updated information and more details. Pickup at the Curb - Curbside pickup of live Christmas trees is available to County solid waste customers.
    Curbside pickup of live Christmas trees is available to County solid waste customers by following these steps:
    Remove all decorations, lights, and tinsel;
    Cut the tree trunk, limbs and branches into sections no longer than 4 feet and no wider that 6 inches in diameter; and
    Place curbside on your regular yard waste collection day.
    OR Drop it Off
    Hillsborough County solid waste customers can skip the hassle and work of cutting their live Christmas trees into smaller pieces for curbside pickup by taking trees directly to one of the following Yard Waste Processing Facilities:
    346 Falkenburg Road in Tampa
    13001 U.S. 41 in Gibsonton
    8001 W. Linebaugh Ave. in Tampa
    The County's three yard waste sites are open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., with the exception of holidays. The sites will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Customers are required to have a photo I.D. and their current property tax bill showing the Hillsborough County Solid Waste Disposal Assessment to access the Yard Waste Processing Facilities, and they must be able to unload the trees themselves. Customers should also remove all decorations, lights, and tinsel. Artificial trees are not accepted at the yard waste sites. For any questions about taking trees to a Yard Waste Processing Facility, call Hillsborough County Solid Waste at (813) 272-5680.
  • Hollywood, FL - You may dispose of your Christmas tree through your regularly scheduled commingled residential pickup, OR, as a Hollywood resident, you may recycle your tree through Broward County's free Chip-a-Tree recycling program. You may take your tree to the following County parks located in Hollywood: Topeekeegee Yungee Park, 3300 N. Park Road, Hollywood 33021, 954-357-8811;
    West Lake Park, 1200 Sheridan Street, Hollywood 33019, 954-357-5161; From December 26 through mid-January, you can bring up to two trees per vehicle. Artificial trees are not accepted and no commercial vehicles or garbage trucks are allowed to participate. The regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee will NOT be in effect for recyclers but hours vary, so call the park for details or visit the Broward County website .
  • Jacksonville - Curbside pickup. Christmas trees surely are nice decorations, but their improper disposal can be a problem. Illegal dumping, especially at area schools, is the biggest problem. Please DO NOT DUMP CHRISTMAS TREES AT SCHOOLS; IT IS ILLEGAL! Proper disposal is simple if you follow these directions:
    For residents who already have curbside recycling and yard waste collection (single-family households through quad-plexes), it's free and easy. Just set your unbagged tree out on your regularly scheduled yard waste collection day. Make sure to remove the tree stand, all decorations and ornaments, and no bags, please!
    For residents who do not have curbside recycling and yard waste collection (e.g., apartment and condominium-dwellers), trees can be taken to a yard waste facility as listed below:
    Old Kings Road Landfill, 8540 Old Kings Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32202. Phone: (904) 768-5363.
    First Coast Mulch, 11864 Camden Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32218. Phone: (904) 751-6495.
  • Lee County - Curbside pickup. Christmas trees should be free of decorations and the tree stand.
    Remove all tinsel and decorations and place curbside on yard waste pick up day.
  • Leon County_ Residents can request pick-up services for their Christmas trees
  • Manatee County - Real Christmas trees will be picked up during the month of January on your yard waste collection day.
    All tinsel, ornaments, lights and tree stands must be removed. Do not put trees in large plastic bags
  • Melbourne, FL - Curbside Christmas Tree Disposal - Living Christmas trees can be placed curbside and will be picked up as part of the regular yard waste collection service. Any tinsel or other decorations must first be removed.  Trees cannot be over 8 feet tall. If they are larger they need to be cut first.
  • Miami - Dade - Click here for locations, updated information and more details.
  • Orange County - Live Christmas trees can be set out at the curb on your yard waste collection day for recycling. Trees over six feet should be cut in half. Remove all ornaments, decorations, and stands before placing at the curb. Artificial trees are not collected with yard waste.
  • Orlando - Click here for locations, updated information and more details . NATURAL CHRISTMAS TREES: Please remove all decorations and tinsel from the tree and place it curbside on your regular yard waste day before 6 am If the tree is more than 6 feet tall, please cut it in half before placing it at the curbside. All natural trees are recycled at the landfill. ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREES: Artificial trees are considered a bulky item and cannot be recycled. To have a bulky item picked up, please place it curbside no later than 6 am on your yard waste day. If you are unsure of your yard waste day, please visit and click the Orlando Information Locator to find the collection days for your address.
  • Osceola County, City of St. Cloud - Parks and Recreation Department Don't Curb It, S.W.A.P. It event.
    Date: Saturday, January 7, 2023 Annually; Time: 9 am to 1:00pm Venue: Peghorn Nature Park & Trail, 2101 Peghorn Way St. Cloud, FL 34769.
    One tree per household with photo I.D. - Artificial trees are not eligible for swap. All Christmas trees must be free of lights, tinsel and decorations. For more details, call 407-957-7243 or visit our website. This is where the St. Cloud Tree Advisory Committee - S.W.A.P. (St. Cloud's Winning Arbor Patrol) team encourages residents to recycle their Christmas tree towards an investment in our continued efforts to restore the Urban Forest. Instead of tossing an old Christmas tree to the curb, the S.W.A.P. team offers a tree-riffic opportunity to swap it for a containerized tree or palm that best suits their needs. This is free event to help reduce people tossing trees to the curb and great way to get more trees planted in our community. The Christmas trees are chipped into mulch and are also given away for free at the event; it's a win-win-win situation. Contact: 407-957-7243. Email: [email protected]. Link: https://webtrac.stcloud.org.
  • Oviedo, FL - Residential Christmas Tree Recycling - Oviedo residents may recycle natural Christmas trees curbside on their regularly scheduled yard trash day. Please make sure all tinsel, decorations, lights, and stands are removed. Trees larger than 8 feet should be cut in half. For more information, Repubilc Services may be conacted at 407-293-8000.
  • Palm Beach County, FL See this page for details and other options. In general, residents can leave the tree (decorations removed first), at the curb on regular trash pick-up days.
  • Pasco County - Every year the Recycling Department, Parks and Recreation and some private businesses partner to offer Christmas tree recycling drop offs to Pasco citizens. The trees are chipped and used in our parks to mulch trails and planting beds. The drop off usually runs from the day after Christmas until the day after the Eucharist in January (end of the first full week in January; around January 9, 10, 11 - there's no date on their website, so you have to call). Christmas tree recycling sites .
    Christmas tree recycling drop offs to Pasco citizens. The trees are chipped and used in our parks to mulch trails and planting beds. Please call the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Department at (813) 929-2760 for more information. Please visit participating Pasco Parks to drop off your holiday tree. Drop off sites:
    Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Rd, Hudson
    Wesley Chapel District Park, North end at Overpass Road, 7727 Boyette Road, Wesley Chapel
    Land O'Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O'Lakes Blvd,
    Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Rd, New Port Richey
    Questions or Concerns, Contact the Recycling Office:
    Central: (813) 235-6012
    Westside: (727) 856-4539
    Eastside: (352) 521-4285
  • Pensacola - Christmas Tree Recycling. The City of Pensacola Sanitation Services customers can place their real (not artificial) Christmas trees at curbside to be picked and disposed of as normal yard waste. Residents of the City of Pensacola can leave their Christmas trees at specific sites to be collected and transported to the landfill where the trees will be ground into mulch. Please be sure to remove all decorations and ornaments, as well as any attached tree stands prior to drop off. Three (3) conveniently located disposal sites (on the east, central and west side of the city) have been designated by the city -owned Sanitation Services of Pensacola. Christmas trees may be dropped off at any time after December 25th through mid January. The sites are on:
    East Side Site - The vacant area adjacent to No. 3 Fire Station located on Summit Boulevard.
    Central Area Site - On Maxwell Street under Interstate 110.
    West Side Site - Bill Gregory Park on North "W" Street near Navy Boulevard. (Behind the softball field, PLEASE.)
    Trees may be dropped off at any time through January 31. This applies only to customers of Sanitation Services of Pensacola.
    For more information, please call Sanitation Services of Pensacola at (850) 435-1890.
    This applies only to customers of Sanitation Services of Pensacola or residents of the City.
  • Pinellas County - Click here for details -
    it depends which city or town you are in.
  • Santa Rosa County - "Treecycle!" Drop your Christmas tree off by Monday in mid-January (around the 13th to 16th each year) to be repurposed as mulch through Keep Santa Rosa Beautiful (mulch availability date to be announced). Place trees in the designated area identified by signage. Real trees only, no artificial trees accepted.
    Christmas Tree Collections in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties: ECUA customers in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties may place real wreaths and Christmas trees at the curb for pick-up with their regular yard waste collection. Customers are asked to remove all tinsel and decorations from their trees before placing them at the curb, and to ensure that trees, or portions thereof, are no more than 6 feet in length. Trees can be placed at the curb with other yard trash, and should not be placed in the recycling cans or green garbage containers. For more information, please call ECUA Customer Service at 476-0480.
    Clean Community System/Green-Up Nursery - 6758 Park Ave., Milton
    Jay Transfer Station - Transfer Station Road, Jay
    Pace Volunteer Fire Department - 4773 Pace Patriot Blvd, Pace
    Navarre Beach Boat Ramp Parking Lot Recycle Area - Gulf Blvd., Navarre Beach
    Tiger Point Recreation Area - Gulf Breeze, east of Walmart
    Take advantage of free electronics recycling at the Central Landfill's HHW center (laptops, tablets, flat screen monitors, TVs, cell phones, computers, etc.).
  • Sarasota County - Click here for locations, updated information and more details.
  • St. Augustine -Put your real Christmas holiday trees on the curb on Wednesdays during yard waste collection. Remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel or other decorations, including the stand. Artificial trees and all holiday decor should be placed with household garbage. Christmas lights will be accepted at the Used Oil and Electronics Recycling Event in early January. For more information about holiday lights and tree recycling, call the city's Solid Waste Division at 904-825-1049, ext. 2, or email [email protected].
  • St. Johns County - December 28th through January 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for residents to bring Christmas trees to any of the following locations:
    Ron Parker Park - 607 Old Beach Road
    Cornerstone Park - 1046 A1A North
    Davis Park - 210 Davis Park Road
    Mills Field - 1805 Racetrack Road
    First Tee - 4401 Cypress Links Blvd.
    Artificial trees will not be accepted. Only living cut trees can be recycled. Be sure to remove decorations and debris.
  • Tallahassee - You can either put the tree on the curb to be collected and made into mulch, or you can drop the tree off before January 11 at one of drop off locations in town. The trees will be turned into mulch and used on the walking paths at Tallahassee parks. Please remember to remove all ornaments, garland, and any other decorations before placing the tree at the curb or at one of our convenient drop off locations (see below).
    Residents living in a house: Placing your Christmas tree at the curb for pickup on your scheduled yard waste collection day or deliver it to one of our convenient drop off locations (see below).
    Residents living in an apartment complex: Most apartment complexes require residents to drop off their used Christmas tree to one of our drop off locations (see below). Check with your apartment complex management for specific instructions. Drop Off Locations:
    From dawn to dusk; Signs will be posted at each location to direct customers to the drop-off area in each of the parks listed below.
    San Luis Park - San Luis Road, south of West Tharpe Street
    Tom Brown Park - across Easterwood Drive from the tennis courts
    Myers Park - 907 Myers Park Drive
    For cardboard only (no trees), Jack McLean Park, 700 Paul Russell Road.
  • Tampa - Christmas Day Holiday Collection Schedule locations, updated information and more details. The City of Tampa Department of Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management offers free removal, pick up and recycling of your Christmas tree.
  • West Palm Beach - See this page for details

For Easter egg Hunts, Children's Consignment Sales, Local Farm Markets and other types of Farms, click here.