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

Where and How to Recycle or Dispose of Christmas Trees in Wisconsin 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.

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

• Algoma, WI - Christmas trees are picked up once only. The garbage and recycling schedule contains the date. Christmas tree pickup is scheduled for early January. The garbage and recycling schedule contains the date.
  After that, you will need to take the tree to Winnebago County Solid Waste/Recycling, 100 W County Road Y, Oshkosh, WI 54901. Phone: (920) 232-1800.
• Appleton, WI - The Public Works Dept collects Christmas trees curbside on the regular garbage day during the second full week of January. In case of bad weather, crews may be needed for snow and ice control, then collection would be extended into the following week. Make sure your Christmas tree is not buried in the snow and remove all plastic tree bags.
  You can also bring your real Christmas tree (remove the ornaments, lights and bag) to the Glendale Ave. Yard Waste Site at 2625 E. Glendale Ave. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. starting on January 2, until  Monday on January 24th. to receive one coupon per tree. This coupon can be redeemed in the spring (usually around the first part of April) for a white spruce seedling. There is no limit., trees can be brought to the Glendale Ave. Yard Site FREE of charge on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 9:00 am to 4:45 pm. Glendale Yard Waste Site, 2625 E. Glendale Ave. Since we recycle trees, please remove all plastic bags, ornaments and lights.
• Brookfield, WI - Recycling Christmas Trees - Natural Christmas Trees placed curbside will be picked up by the City. Trees with plastic bags, wire, nails or other metal attached will not be accepted. The City will be making two rounds picking up Christmas trees:
  First opportunity for pickup starts on early January at 7:00 am
  Final opportunity for pickup starts in mid-January at 7:00 am
  Only Natural Christmas Trees placed curbside will be picked up by the City. There will be no return trips for pickups and call-in requests at later dates will not be accepted. Trees should not be buried in the snow. Wire, metal and plastic bags must be removed from the tree and disposed of separately. Please understand that trees may not be picked up until sometime after these dates because of the time it takes to go through all the routes or being hampered by inclement weather or emergencies that may arise and take precedence.
  Wreaths, which are normally tied with wire, should be disposed of in your weekly garbage.
  Other options for Christmas tree disposal are:
  Bring them to the Recycle Center with no wire, metal or plastic on them.
  Cut them up in pieces no longer than 4 feet long, less than 50 pounds per piece, and place them at the road edge. Your garbage contractor will pick them up on your regular collection day. However, the tree cannot be buried in snow or they will not take it. This is not a preferred option since it is not recycling the Christmas tree... Click here for locations, updated information and more details.
• Delafield, Wisconsin - The City's garbage collection contractor - Advance Disposal - will pick up Christmas trees starting the 2nd week in January till the end of the month. The trees must be 6 feet or smaller. All trees over 6 feet must be cut in half. Place trees on the curb for pick up. If you have any further questions regarding this Christmas tree pick up service please contact Advance Disposal at 262-367-6040.
• Dunn County, WI - The Dunn County Highway Department is collecting Christmas Trees at their service gate, just off Stokke Parkway, until mid January. Just toss the tree onto the pile to be chipped and recycled. Take trees to the Dunn County Highway Shops in Menomonie, Boyceville, North County (STH 25 & 64) or the Rock Falls salt-shed between the hours of 7 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  For the Menomonie Shop, enter off of Stokke Parkway to the shop driveway entrance. Drop the trees by the sign on the south side of the driveway at any time.
  Residents, with a solid waste permit, may dispose of their Christmas tree at any of the Dunn County Collection Sites which have a yard waste site:
  Boyceville Area Collection Station, Wednesdays Noon - 5 pm (November 1st - Mar. 31st), Saturdays 8 am to 4 pm (Year Round).
  Colfax Area Collection Station, Wednesdays 10 am to 5 pm (November 1st - Mar. 31st), Saturdays 8 am to 4 pm (Year Round)
  Elk Mound Area Collection Station, Wednesdays 9 am to 5 pm (November 1st - March 31st), Saturdays 8 am to 4 pm (Year Round).
  The City of Menomonie will be accepting Christmas Trees at the following drop off sites: Elmwood Park, Wakanda Park, City Solid Waste Site during business hours. Call the City of Menomonie Street Department at 232-2302 with any questions about their Christmas Tree recycling program. All decorations/ornaments/tree disposal bags and stands must be removed. Artificial trees and other debris will not be accepted. Due to the wire used to form them, wreaths and garland WILL NOT be accepted for recycling.
• City of Eau Claire, WI - County Recycling Program No cost for holiday tree drop-off. - Christmas trees and wreaths that are free of ornaments, wire and tinsel can be ground along with other brush into wood chips. Eau Claire County and the City of Eau Claire jointly sponsor Merry Mulch, which permits residents to dispose of clean Christmas tees at Carson Park. The collection starts the days following Christmas and runs through mid-January,:
  Eau Claire Green Waste Facility, 5710 Jeffers Road, Eau Claire, WI 54703. Directions: From the intersection of the North Crossing/State Road 312, go north on Jeffers Road about 3/4 mile. The facility is on the west side of Jeffers Road.
  Tree drop off dates, hours are: daily, 9am-6pm from December 26th to January 31st.
  Christmas lights can be recycled and holiday lights are collected each winter. The collection starts around America Recycles Day (November 15) and runs through the middle of January. County Courthouse Main Entrance 721 Oxford Avenue Eau Claire, WI 54703 We accept: Electrical cords, Strands of holiday lights, Telephone cords, Appliance cords We do not accept: Cord adapters, Battery packs, Plastic rope lights, Compact Fluorescent Lights. Email: [email protected]. Phone: (715) 839-2756.
• Eau Claire County, WI - Earthbound Environmental Solutions offers a curbside pick up service for $12 per tree (January 2021price). Tto request pick up service for your tree click the link at left or call 715-952-5608.
  For questions about County information on how and where to dispose of most materials, look to this Recycling and Disposal Guide. If you cannot find what you need, please contact our office. Looking for a reminder of what goes in your curbside recycling bin? Download and print our Recycling Cheat Sheet.Electronics: Christmas lights can be recycled and holiday lights are collected each winter. The collection starts around America Recycles Day (November 15) and runs through the middle of January. County Courthouse Main Entrance 721 Oxford Avenue Eau Claire, WI 54703 We accept: Electrical cords, Strands of holiday lights, Telephone cords, Appliance cords We do not accept: Cord adapters, Battery packs, Plastic rope lights, Compact Fluorescent Lights. Email: [email protected]. Phone: (715) 839-2756.
• Elkhorn, WI - Christmas Tree Collection: Trees will be collected the second week of January. You may also drop them off at the New City Garage at the end of Getzen.
• Green Bay, WI - Any size whole, natural Christmas tree (without a mounting stand, lights, tinsel, ornaments or disposal bags) will be collected. If you have a flocked tree, please call (920) 448-3535 to make arrangements for removal. The City removes other brush year-round from curbside at no cost to residents, however; the City does not remove brush from curbside cut from vacant properties or contractor generated brush. Branches and limbs from trees must be 3 feet to 8 feet in length and a minimum of 1/2 inch in diameter. Root ball must be removed. Cut ends should be stacked together. Do not pile on sidewalk or in street.
• Greenville, WI - Christmas tree collection will begin on the Monday after January 1st. This collection is a town wide service that you do not need to sign up for. During this collection, Public Works staff will start at one end of town and work their way through to the other. Staff will make it town every road, but will not turn around, or go back, for missed trees. If you miss this collection, you will need to be added to the regular brush pick up list. Monthly brush pickup will begin the week of Monday, January 11th and will continue throughout the week until all the addresses on the list have been completed. To be placed on the collection list, contact the Public Works Department at (920)757-7276 or by email at [email protected]. Additions to the collection list will not be taken after 12PM on Friday, January 8th. Your brush will not be collected if you are not on the list You can follow along with our progress in the attached map: https://bit.ly/35hpgHJ Please remember that if your tree is covered in snow, or frozen to the ground, it will not be picked up. Any size whole, natural Christmas tree (without a mounting stand, lights, tinsel, ornaments or disposal bags) will be collected. If you have a flocked tree, please call 920-448-3535 to make arrangements for removal. Brush Pick-Up Policy .
• Kronenweller, WI -- Christmas trees will be collected by Harter's Fox Valley on your regularly scheduled collection day during the first 3 weeks in January. Trees MUST be cut into no longer than 3-foot lengths and placed next to your garbage cart. . Please call IROW at 693-7123 if you have any questions
• LaCrosse, WI - Christmas Tree Collection The collection period takes place the first full week in January. Please remove tinsel, ornaments, and tree bags and set your tree out on the boulevard by 7 am. If you have any questions, please call the Recycling Office at (608) 789-7508. Click here for locations, updated information and more details. Set your tree out on the boulevard by 7:00 AM on January 4th. This collection does not coincide with your trash pick up schedule.
  If you would like to drop off your Christmas tree, that option is available. You may drop them off at Myrick Park in the parking lot east of the Gun Shelter. Or you may bring them, Monday-Friday between 7 AM and 3 PM, to 2000 Marco Drive, and place them in a pile south of the yard waste site, next to the green recycling dumpster. Just a reminder that the Yard Waste & Brush Site is closed for the season so you may not drop off other materials; those items should be taken to the County Landfill.
  Artificial Christmas Trees, Wreaths, & Holiday Lights: We do not collect artificial Christmas trees. Those, along with holiday lights and artificial wreaths, can be placed in your city-service recycling cart or dropped off at Harter's Quick Clean-Up. We do not collect wreaths, live or artificial, as most are constructed with heavy wire.
• Madison, Wisconsin - The Streets Division will collect holiday trees for recycling. Each neighborhood will receive two collection opportunities. You may also bring your trees to our drop-off sites.(see below)
  Note: Collection could be delayed due to winter weather. Snow and ice operations have priority over tree collection.
  Round One begins on the first Monday in January.
  Trees placed to the curb on or before early January will likely be collected prior to January 14, depending on weather conditions.
  Trees placed to the curb after January 3 may not be collected until Round Two.
  Round Two begins on Tuesday, in mid-January.
  Trees placed to the curb on or before mid-January will likely be collected prior to January 28, depending on weather conditions.
  Trees placed to the curb after mid-January may not be collected until regular brush collection begins in the spring.
  Holiday Tree Collection Rules: To avoid damage to our equipment, we ask that you follow these guidelines:
  Place trees at the street edge only. Remove and discard tree bags. Remove all tree stands, ornaments, lights and other metal objects. Trees that are not properly prepared will NOT be collected.
  Holiday Tree Drop-Off Sites - You may also bring your Holiday trees to our drop off sites at:
  West: 1501 W. Badger Rd.
  East: 4602 Sycamore Ave.
  Drop-off site hours change seasonal. Check the hours before loading your car.
  Click here for more about drop off locations, updated information and more details.
• Menomonie, WI - will be accepting Christmas Trees at the following drop off sites: Elmwood Park Wakanda Park City Solid Waste Site during business hours Call the City of Menomonie Street Department at 232-2302 with any questions about their Christmas Tree recycling program. All decorations/ornaments/tree disposal bags and stands must be removed. Artificial trees and other debris will not be accepted. Due to the wire used to form them, wreaths and garland WILL NOT be accepted for recycling.
• Marshall, WI - Christmas Trees are collected every Wednesday during the month of January. Just place your Christmas Tree at the curb by 7 am on collection day.
• New Berlin, WI - Christmas Tree Pickup starts in early January and continues the entire month. Please put your trees in the ditch line or near the curbing, but do not obstruct traffic. Please be patient since the crews may be delayed by snow plowing or other duties during the month. For further information contact Streets at 262-780-4609. Thank you.
• Onalaska, WI - Christmas tree pickup will be the same day as your regular trash pickup in January
  This is the only time this service is offered, so please have your tree at a curbside location no later than 5:00 AM on your regular refuse pickup day. Tinsel, ornaments, lights, etc. must be removed! Trees placed in a disposal bag will not be picked up! After the pickup dates trees can be taken to the La Crosse County Landfill for a fee or you can prepare it for the branch pick up service, which will begin in April (see Recycling Brochure for proper procedure).Trees placed in the alley will not be picked up; they must be placed at a curbside location. If you miss your pick up day you can dispose of your Christmas trees at the La Crosse County Landfill (785-9999) for a fee.
• Racine, WI - Christmas Tree Collections For two weeks during the month of January, beginning the Monday following New Year's Day, the Department of Public Works will be collecting Christmas trees at the curb from City Residents. Trees must be decoration-free and placed at the curb line of the City streets for collection the same day as solid waste collection. Anyone with solid waste collection from the alley line, must place trees at the curb line in front of the residence. Wreaths and other decorative greenery should be disposed of with regular solid waste. For more information about Racine Recycling visit the website or call the department of Public works field office, (262) 636-9126. Click here for locations, updated information and more details.
• Sheboygan, WI - The City of Sheboygan's annual Christmas tree recycling pickup begins on January 2 and continues through the end of January. Trees are picked up on the same day as your garbage pickup. Wreaths are picked up with normal curbside garbage collection. Christmas trees are picked up at the curb, there is no alley pickup of Christmas trees. Remove all ornaments and decorative lights. Do not place trees in plastic bags. Christmas trees can also be disposed of at the Recycling Center at 2026 New Jersey Ave; place trees in the area normally used for branches. Trees are recycled by grinding them into wood chips; these chips are available to the public for free..
• Sherwood, WI - CHRISTMAS TREE DISPOSAL: Take your tree to the Yard Waste Site, which is open to dispose of Christmas trees after the holiday. The Yard Waste Site is open to dispose of Christmas trees after the holiday anytime during the month of January. Sherwood's Yard Waste Site is located at the southeast corner of Military Road and Kesler Road. See Map to Sherwood, WI Yard Waste Site.
• St. Croix County, WI - Disposing of Christmas Trees:
  LIVE TREES - Many municipalities have curbside Christmas tree pick-up for a short time period after New Year's. If your community doesn't provide pick-up service or you miss it, there are some businesses that will accept brush for a fee.
  ARTIFICIAL TREES - If your tree is still usable, offer it to friends or donate it to a charity such as Goodwill or Treasures from the Heart.
  Treasures From the Heart
  200 S Main Street
  River Falls, WI
  715-425-9771
  Treasures From the Heart
  815 Main Street
  Baldwin, WI
  715-684-2545
  If the tree is no longer usable then it will have to be thrown away, check with your hauler to see if they will accept it in one piece. If not, it will have to be dismantled into smaller pieces and put in the trash.
  Holiday Lights
  Old, unwanted, or not working holiday lights can be recycled at local agencies and retailers during the holiday season. Local retailers and agencies that accept holiday lights for recycling:
  E-Cycling
  900 Industrial St
  Hudson, WI
  715-381-5900
  River Falls Ace Hardware
  1163 N Main Street
  River Falls, WI
  715-425-1775
  Wrapping Paper: Most wrapping paper is not recyclable. These papers are often embedded with foil and other materials that frequently have non-recyclables items like bows and ribbons attached to them. :
• Stoughton, WI - Christmas Collection Schedule: Crews will be out on the first, second and third Mondays in January collecting Christmas Trees. Make sure tree stand, all lights and ornaments are removed. Trees must be at the curbside and not buried in the snow. Wreaths and roping must have all wire removed. Phone: (262) 473-4700..
• Verona, WI - Christmas Tree Disposal Procedures: Pick up will be during the month of January. You must remove the tree from the bag or your tree will not be collected. For more information, please call the Public Works Department at 608-845-6695.
• Waupaca, WI - 1. Christmas Tree Collection: The Waupaca Jaycees pick up discarded Christmas trees on a Saturday in early January every year. City of Waupaca residents are asked to bring their trees to the curb by the Friday night before collection. Donations to the Waupaca Jaycees are accepted.
  2. Christmas trees can be brought to the Waupaca Regional Recycling and Composting Center at no cost. All ornaments, hangers and tinsel must be removed before disposal. Waupaca Regional Recycling and Composting Center, 608 Lakeside Parkway, Waupaca, Wisconsin; hours are Monday 12:00p.m - 6:00 pm; Friday 7 AM to 4:00 pm; Saturday 7 AM to 5:00 pm
• Wausau, Wisconsin - DISPOSAL OF CHRISTMAS TREES: Residents may place their tree curbside with their household garbage on normal pick-up days. Residents may place their tree cut in manageable lengths curbside for collection through mid-January (as of January 3rd, they still have not published the exact date on their website). Harters will conduct several collection cycles to pick up curb side trees. This collection will occur outside of the garbage collection process. Any nails and other metal must be removed. Please lay trees on their side so they do not get frozen into the snow bank. Harter's Fox Valley Disposal: 1-888-804-855
• Wauwatosa, WI - Christmas Tree Collection: Real Christmas trees clear of wrappings, wire, metal, nails, or tree stands and placed at the curb will be picked up between January 3 - 28 on regular pickup day and chipped into mulch. Do not put a tree in the alley. Put artificial trees or wreaths in the regular garbage.  Please remove all decorations. We don't take trees in bags or wreaths.  You can also bring your real tree to the Drop Off Center for a fee. 
• Winneconne, WI - Christmas trees and wreaths should be taken to the Winnebago County Landfill or they may be burned on your own property, not in the road right-of-way, according to the conditions of the Town burning ordinance.
  Winnebago County Landfill is located at 100 W. County Road Y. Hours are 7am to 3pm and Saturdays 7am to Noon. Landfill Telephone Number: 232-1800. Recycling Telephone Number: 232-1850.
  

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