What to Do With Your Christmas Tree and Extra Recycling

The Newport Public Services Department’s Clean City Program would like to remind residents that Christmas trees and yard waste will be collected curbside during the week of January 14 on residents’ regularly scheduled collection day.

Christmas trees are mulched and composted, so please do not put the tree in a plastic bag and remember to remove all ornaments, tinsel, garland and lights. Yard waste will also be collected during the week of January 14 along with Christmas trees. Residents should plan accordingly, as the next yard waste collection after the January collection will be the week of March 18. Yard waste must be free of litter and set out in brown paper leaf bags or loose in barrels labeled “yard waste”.  Free “Yard Waste Only” stickers are available by calling the Clean City Program at 845-5613.

The Clean City Program would like to remind residents that cords and wires, such as Christmas tree lights, cannot be recycled in your curbside recycling bin, nor should be left on your Christmas tree when placing it at the curb for collection. The Clean City Program has partnered with the Friends of Ballard Park to promote the reuse of working Christmas lights & lamps.

The Friends of Ballard Park are in need of working Christmas tree lights of all shapes, sizes and color and lamps that are two feet or higher for use in their 8th Annual Illuminated Garden in February during Newport’s Winter Festival.

Friends of Ballard Park is also looking for clean one or half gallon milk jugs, which will be used by Newport elementary school students to build igloos and will be displayed at the February event. Friends of Ballard Park will acknowledge all donations with a receipt which may be used for tax purposes.

Drop off lights to the Clean City Program Office located in the city yard at 80 Halsey St., Monday through Friday between 8:30 am to 4:30pm, or at the Friends of Ballard Park’s office at 226 Bellevue Avenue #10 Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Friends of Ballard Park will also pick lights up by calling 619-3377. Residents can also recycle non-working lights through www.holidayleds.com and click on the “Free Light Recycling” link. You can mail lights to them for the cost of shipping and receive a coupon for 25% off the purchase of LED lights, which will save energy.

The 2013 recycling & solid waste calendar and information on the new recycling program, Recycle Together RI, are available to download at www.cityofnewport.com/cleancity. Hard copies are available at the Clean City Program office at 80 Halsey St in the city yard, and also in the Collections Office in City Hall, 43 Broadway. The 2013 calendar was also mailed to residents in December.

For more information about the City of Newport residential solid waste and recycling collection program, contact the Clean City Program at 845-5613 or visit the above website.