How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree in Fairfax County

If you receive curbside pickup of trash and recycling from Fairfax County, you can recycle your live Christmas tree (less than 8 feet) on your normal collection date.

The cost is included as part of your regular, paid collection service. For larger trees, contact your collector for recycling instructions.

Christmas trees may also be recycled during the first two weeks in January at either the I-66 Transfer Station or the I-95 Landfill Complex. There is a small processing fee of $1 per tree. Please remove tree stands, ornaments, tinsel, lights and tree toppers before recycling.

Other recycling options, from the National Christmas Tree Association:

Soil erosion barriers: Some communities use Christmas trees to make effective sand and soil erosion barriers, especially for lake and river shoreline stabilization and river delta sedimentation management. Read about how Christmas trees are helping the sand dunes in New Jersey recover from Hurricane Sandy.

Fish feeders: Sunk into private fish ponds, trees make an excellent refuge and feeding area for fish.

Bird feeders: Place the Christmas tree in the garden or backyard and use it as a bird feeder and sanctuary. Fresh orange slices or strung popcorn will attract the birds and they can sit in the branches for shelter. (Make sure all decorations, hooks, garland and tinsel strands are removed). Eventually (within a year) the branches will become brittle and you can break the tree apart by hand or chip it in a chipper. See this article from Perdue University for more information.

Mulch: A Christmas tree is biodegradable; its branches may be removed, chipped, and used as mulch in the garden. If you have a neighbor with a chipper, see if he will chip it for you.

Paths for hiking trails: Some counties use the shredded trees as a free, renewable and natural path material that fits both the environment and the needs of hikers!

Living, rooted trees: Of course, next year, you could get a rooted (ball and burlap or containerized) tree and then plant it in your yard after Christmas. (It’s a good idea to pre-dig the hole in the late fall while the soil is still soft, then plant the tree into that hole immediately after Christmas.) Living trees have a better survival rate in mild climates.

Important: Never burn your Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood stove.