Town Begins Fresh-cut Christmas Tree Recycling Drive

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — As the holiday season comes to a close, local officials are hoping residents recycle their fresh-cut Christmas trees during residential trash pickups and through the drop-off program at the North Hempstead town’s Transfer Station in Port Washington.

The Christmas trees will be ground down by the town’s transfer station operator, Omni Recycling of Westbury, Inc., before disposal. The move is all part of the town’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by reusing and recycling.

“Aside from being easier and less expensive to dispose of, ground wood can also be used for a variety of environmentally friendly uses, such as environmental reclamation projects,” stated Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth in a news release. “Grinding wood waste means that less wood ultimately makes its way into landfills, which also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”

For the first two weeks of January, residents can leave fresh-cut Christmas trees curbside on normal yard waste collection days, but officials are asking that all decorations, lights, ornaments, tinsel, stands and any other plastic bag or plastic wrapping used to transport the tree to the curb be removed. Schedules can be found at: https://www.northhempsteadny.gov/CollectionSchedules.

Residents can also dispose of their Christmas trees at the town’s Transfer Station, 999 West Shore Rd., Port Washington on Sunday, Jan. 10 and Sunday, Jan. 24. For more information visit:https://northhempsteadny.gov/ResidentDropOff or call 311 for more information.