Recycling Your Tree in Prince William County

Provided, Prince William County:

It won’t be long before the holiday season is at an end, and people will be looking to get rid of their Christmas trees, wreaths and other holiday greenery.

Prince William County Solid Waste Division Chief Tom Smith said people should think about recycling. “We definitely want you to recycle your Christmas tree. What you need to do, when you’re all done with your festivities and you’re ready to dispose of your tree, is take all the tinsel, all the lights … any metal and make it real clean.”

Smith said people can take their trees to the following locations for recycling during the following hours:

• The Prince William County Landfill at 14811 Dumfries Road in Manassas; Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The facility is closed New Year’s Day. Call 703-792-4670 for more information.
• The Balls Ford Road Compost Facility at 13000 Balls Ford Road in Manassas; Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The facility is closed New Year’s Day. Call 703-792-4670 for more information.
• Leesylvania State Park at 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Drive, off Neabsco Road, in Woodbridge. Trees may be dropped off at Shelter 2 and will be used for habitat.
• Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) at 5399 Wellington Branch Road in Gainesville; Dec. 26 through Jan. 12. The drop off area is located in the front parking lot in the area outlined with the orange safety cones. NOVEC will deliver the wood-chip mulch to interested customer-owners at no charge. Visit www.novec.com for an order form. For more information, contact NOVEC at 703-335-0500 ext. 1633 or 1661, or novecrightofway@novec.com.

Smith said recycling trees is the best way to go. “It’s the best way to handle Christmas trees or any green waste you have from the holidays. If you put the tree in the landfill, it just gets buried with the other waste and takes up valuable space. This way, the tree can be chipped and used as a valuable resource. It’s put to a beneficial use in our community. We don’t want to see Christmas trees alongside the road or at illegal dumpsites.”

More information is available at www.pwcgov.org/trashandrecycling.