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

Where and How to Recycle or Dispose of Christmas Trees in Western Pennsylvania after Christmas 2023 and in January 2024

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 not 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.

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

Western Pennsylvania

• Pittsburgh area - Christmas Tree Recycling Starting on December 27th, please help us keep your Christmas trees off the curb and out of the landfill! In the spirit of giving and sharing, residents can drop-off their unwanted Christmas trees at any of our participating drop-offs, free of charge. In addition to the year-round yard debris drop-offs, Environmental Services will also be providing an additional Christmas Tree drop-off in the Strip District for your convenience. Your trees will be shredded and can be used as mulch in and around the City. This program will run through near the end of January  Be sure to remove all unaccepted items before drop-off: Ornaments, Lights, Stands, Plastic Bags, Netting.
  
  Take Your Tree to one of the following City Drop-Off Locations to have it composted:
  ALLEGHENY CENTER
  Sue Murray Swimming Pool Parking Lot #30, Cedar Avenue. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  BRIGHTON HEIGHTS
  Jack Stack Swimming Pool 600 Brighton Woods Road. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  BROOKLINE
  Brookline Recreation Center 1400 Oakridge Street. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  FRIENDSHIP
  Baum Grove Parklet 400 Roup Ave. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  HAZELWOOD
  40 Melanchton St 412.422.6524. Monday - Friday 8AM-1PM. Off 5200 Block of Second Avcenue 412-422-6524
  HIGHLAND PARK
  Highland Park Zoo 7370 Baker Street. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  HOMEWOOD NORTH
  6814 Hamilton Ave 412.665.3609. Monday - Saturday 8AM-1PM
  PERRY NORTH
  300 Kilbuck Road 412.323.7209. Monday - Friday 8AM-1PM.
  SOUTHSIDE
  Southside Riverfront Park Lower Parking Lot. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  SQUIRREL HILL SOUTH
  Prospect Drive Roundabout Schenley Park. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  SHERADEN
  Sheraden Park Parking Lot Surban Street. Seven days a week, Dawn to Dusk
  WEST END
  1330 Hassler Street 412.937.3054. Monday - Saturday 8AM-1PM
  
  Please remove all decorations, plastic bags, and tree stands.
  Christmas trees set at the curb will be sent to the landfill.
  Call 311 for more information. For more information about all sorts of recycling, see their website .
• Allegheny County, PA - Again Offering Christmas Tree Recycling Program. Click here for locations, updated information and more details.
  The Allegheny County Department of Parks is again offering its Annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program this holiday season. Residents of the county can drop off their Christmas trees beginning on Wednesday, December 26, through Saturday in mid January (usually around the 14th, BUT BE SURE to see their website for the exact date) from 8 a.m. to dusk at all nine regional parks during regular hours of operation (dawn to dusk). All lights, decorations, tinsel and stands must be removed from trees prior to drop-off. The trees will be mulched and used in Allegheny County's nine regional parks. Trees may be dropped off from dawn to dusk at the following locations in each of the nine county parks:
  Boyce Park Parking lot by the soccer fields, near the intersection of Pierson Run Road and Centerview Drive in Plum.
  Deer Lakes Park Parking lot by the Veterans 2 Shelter, 1090 Bailies Run Road in West Deer.
  Harrison Hills Park Parking lot at the intersection of Chipmunk & Cottontail Drive, 5200 Freeport Road, Harrison.
  Hartwood Acres Park Parking lot at the mansion, 200 Hartwood Acres, Indiana Township.
  North Park Parking lot at the swimming pool, 303 Pearce Mill Road, Hampton.
  Round Hill Park Parking lot at the Alfalfa Shelter, 651 Round Hill Road, Elizabeth
  Settlers Cabin Park Parking lot by the wave pool, 608 Ridge Road, Collier
  South Park Parking lot at the wave pool, off of East Park Drive, South Park.
  White Oak Park Parking lot at the Chestnut Shelter, 3 Muse Lane, White Oak.
• Indiana County, PA - Christmas Tree Drop Off Recycling. Following each Holiday season, the Indiana County Solid Waste Authority accepts live Christmas Trees during its Christmas Tree Drop Off Recycling Collection. The collection typically runs from December 24th until mid February. All tinsel, decorations, wires, hooks, and bags MUST be removed from the trees prior to dropping them off at the Recycling Center. This is a drop off collection ONLY! No trees will be picked up at the curbside. All trees dropped off at the Recycling Center are chipped and the material is donated for use in Indiana County Parks. Many municipalities offer tree collection programs. Please contact your municipal office to find out if they offer a similar program.
• Mt. Lebanon, PA - Christmas trees will be picked up at curbside for recycling by our contractor on the second and third Saturdays in January . All areas of Mt. Lebanon will be picked up on those dates. Please have your tree at the curb the night before either collection date. The contractor has been instructed to leave any trees that are in plastic bags, so please make sure that your tree is not in a bag and does NOT have any decorations or lights on it, including tinsel. These trees will be recycled into wood chips and any foreign material on the tree could potentially damage the equipment. After January 14, trees may be placed at curbside for regular trash pickup. If you wish, you may drop your tree off at the Public Works facility yourself for recycling during this period. An area will be designated with a sign for this purpose.
• Washington County, PA - Washington County is again offering Christmas Tree Recycling at Mingo Creek Park and Cross Creek Park. Designated drop sites will be marked with signage. The drop off sites will be open starting early January through January 31 from 8 am to 3 pm. Trees must be clean of ornaments and tinsel. Please see the Christmas Tree Recycling Flyer for more information.
  Where: Mingo Park, Shelter 1 Parking Lot, Cross Creek Park Boat Trailer Parking Lot. Trees Must be Clean of Ornaments & Tinsel. Mingo Creek Park is 12 miles east of Washington. Cross Creek Park is located off Route 50 near Rea. For additional Information or Directions, please contact the Washington County Planning Commission at: 724-228-6811
• Westmoreland County, PA - You can take your tree to one of many drop-off sites located throughout Westmoreland County. See the Westmoreland County, PA drop off site locations. The trees will either be chipped into mulch by the municipalities and used to beautify community parks, or placed in natural areas to provide wildlife habitat. Trees must be completely bare of decorations when dropped off. This includes any tree bags or wrappings used to transport the tree to the drop-off site. For more info, call Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling 724-879-4020. There is no cost to recycle your Christmas tree at these locations , but some organizations hosting tree recycling sites collect donations to fund their own projects such as:
  - Boy Scout Troup 239 collecting trees at Shramms Farm and Orchards in Penn Township
  - The Burrell High School Environmental Club collecting trees at the Lower Burrell Maintenance Building
  - The Murrysville-Export Rotary collecting trees at the lot adjacent to the Windstream parking lot in Murrysville

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