Where and How to Recycle or Dispose of Christmas Trees in Minnesota 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.
Minnesota: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays January 2024
- Anoka County Minnesota -
Your trash collection service may pick trees up curbside; Contact your hauler for fees and preparation requirements.
OR drop trees off for
composting. Both the Bunker Hills and Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Compost Sites accept Christmas trees and boughs, as well as other types of yard and
tree waste and organics. No charge. Trees must be free of tinsel, garland, ornaments and stands.
Bunker Hills Compost Site - Coon Rapids, 13285
Hanson Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448 763-767-7964
Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Compost Site - Lino Lakes, 7701 Main St, Lino Lakes, MN 55038
651-429-3723
- Anoka City, MN - Most garbage haulers offer Christmas tree collection as part of their service. Contact your garbage hauler directly for details. Another option is the Bunker Hills compost site located at 13285 Hanson Boulevard in Coon Rapids. For information on dates, hours, fees, and more, please call
763-767-7964 or visit Anoka County Compost Site Information.
- Carver County, MN - DO NOT throw your Real Christmas Tree in
the trash! Real Christmas Trees are biodegradable, which means they
can be easily reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes. Here
are some recycling options and tips on what to do with your tree
after the holidays. Christmas-tree Ornaments, stands, lights,
artificial trees and wire wreaths are NOT ACCEPTED. In all cases; DO
NOT include ornaments, stands, lights, artificial trees and wire
wreaths. Please remove trees from plastic bags. Trees will be
chipped and used for compost or mulch. Wreaths will not be accepted
during the collections. Trees will be chipped and used for compost
or mulch. Every community is different, but in general,
you have these NO CHARGE options:
Curbside Collection by your private trash
hauler:
Contact your private refuse hauler to ask if they collect real Christmas trees for recycling. Some haulers offer this
service for free to their customers and some charge a nominal fee ranging from $5.00 to $8.00. Residents with seasonal curbside yard waste
collection typically receive this service at no additional charge.
Take your Tree to a Drop-off
Site
At a Private Compost Site
The following compost sites are owned and operated by private entities and are open to residents and businesses
year round. Please call ahead to inquire about disposal fees, hours of operation and delivery instructions.
Boy Scout Curbside Collection
Chanhassen, Chaska, and Victoria. Boy Scout Troop 337 collects Christmas trees door-to-door and
delivers them to a compost site for a small fee. This event helps raise funds for the troop's annual operating expenses and camp scholarships along
with providing a service to residents in disposing of their trees properly and conveniently. To take advantage of this service, you must sign up for
it by the deadline.
Email Troop 337 at
[email protected] . with your name, address, and phone number, and they will provide you with any
further details. Please Note: The Boy Scout collection is not a Carver County program. For more information on the program, please contact
Boy Scout Troop 337.
Cities with Christmas Tree Recycling Programs
The following cities offer no charge Christmas tree recycling options
to their residents.
Cologne - Residents can drop off trees at the City of Cologne Public Works garage, 304 Louis St W (roll-off box
south of the Cologne City Public Works garage) through Friday in mid-January .
Mayer and New Germany - Residents can drop off trees at
the City of Mayer yard waste site. Visit the Rural Recycling Drop-Off Site page for hours and location.
Norwood Young America -
Residents can drop off trees at the City of NYA yard waste site located at 640 Tacoma Blvd.
Holiday lights can be dropped off at NO CHARGE at the
Environmental Center.
- Circle Pines, MN -
Recycling Call 763-784-5898 for more information on curbside
recycling and seasonal recycling events.
Christmas Trees are collected curbside if unbagged, no tinsel; dates to be announced, generally
after the first of the year on regular garbage days.
- Douglas County - Christmas/Holiday Tree
Recycling Drop Off. Until January 28th. The trees will be reused at an Alexandria area
church and then recycled by being ground up for local park trails.
. Remove all tinsel, plastic bags, metal and wire from trees. No artificial
trees accepted. Trees will be chipped up for use in County Parks.
Recycling lights and electronics at the Douglas Solid Waste
Recycle Center (accepted year-round), ALP Utilities, Runestone
Electric Assoc. or Ace Hardware, Glenwood & Alexandria
- Hennepin County -
Put in yard and tree waste; Live Christmas trees should be disposed
of as yard waste. Check with your hauler about curbside pickup or
take to the nearest location that accepts yard and tree waste. No wreaths or other decorations with metal will be
accepted. All tree stands, ornaments and plastic bags must be
removed from the trees. Flocked trees are acceptable. Loads
containing unacceptable material will be rejected. There are also
drop off sites
. If you have any questions please see Hennepin County or email [email protected] or Phone: 612-348-3777. Christmas
tree disposal for residents Many waste haulers will offer pick-up
service for Christmas trees during the first few weeks of January -
contact your waste hauler or
city recycling coordinator
for more information. You can also take your tree to a
yard waste site
that is open year
round.
Drop Off Locations and Dates
Bloomington facility
1400 West 96th Street, Bloomington, MN 55431
Brooklyn
Park facility
8100 Jefferson Highway, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
Hours of operation
Sunday-Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5
p.m.
Artificial Christmas trees in good shape may be sold, given away or
donated to Arc Value Village
or
Goodwill
(accepted from October 1 - December 24). Artificial
Christmas trees may be put in the garbage.
- Minneapolis, MN - After the holidays, there are several
ways to dispose of your lights & tree.
Dispose of Christmas
Tree: Place alongside garbage cart before 6:00 am on your regular
garbage pickup day. If tree is 6 feet or taller, you must cut in
half.
To recycle Lights see
Recycling Association of Minnesota's Recycle Your HolidaysTM program
. Hennepin County has year round drop-off facilities in Brooklyn
Park and Bloomington for holiday lights There are several ways to
dispose of your lights & tree. The South Transfer Station will NOT
accept this item.
Ways to Recycle a Tree Yourself:
Place the
tree in the yard or garden for use by birds and other wildlife. The
branches provide shelter from strong winds and cold. Food can be
supplied by hanging fruit slices, seed cakes, or suet bags on its
branches. You can also smear peanut butter and seeds in pine cones
and hang them in the tree. Prune off the branches and place the
boughs over perennials as winter mulch. Chip the tree and use as
mulch around trees, shrubs, or in flower beds.
Recycle Lights:
Recycling Association of Minnesota's
Recycle Your HolidaysTM program: www.RecycleMinnesota.org .
Hennepin County has year round drop-off facilities in Brooklyn Park
and Bloomington for holiday lights Hennepin County's Green Disposal
Guide.
Search the web under "Recycling Christmas Tree" for
additional suggestions.
- Pope County - Christmas/Holiday Tree
Recycling Drop Off. Until January 28th. The trees will be reused at an Alexandria area
church and then recycled by being ground up for local park trails.
. Remove all tinsel, plastic bags, metal and wire from trees. No artificial
trees accepted. Trees will be chipped up for use in County Parks.
Recvyclihght lights and eletronics at the Douglas Solid Waste
Recycle Center (accepted year-round), ALP Utilities, Runestone
Electric Assoc. or Ace Hardware, Glenwood & Alexandria
- St. Paul and
Ramsey County
residents, you can take your tree to a Ramsey
County recycling center, where the tree will be turned into mulch
and compost to be used on gardens and yards throughout the year. The
facilities are open for drop-off on January 9th and 10th. For free
drop-off, proof of Ramsey County residency must be provided. (A
driver's license will do!)
- St. Cloud, MN
- The Public Works Department has designated the second and 4th Mondays in January, for its annual collection of Christmas trees. Residents who wish to use this option are asked to do the
following:
Attach a clear city yard waste bag (green bag is also
acceptable) to the tree and make it clearly visible to collection
crews. The bag can be tied to a branch or around the lower trunk
Place the tree in the normal refuse collection area by 6 am on
pick up date
Remove all decorations or other attachments. Trees
containing metal or cement stands will not be picked up
Wreaths
are not acceptable for recycling because they contain wire
Questions can be directed to the Public Works Department at (320)
650-2900.
-
Washington County, MN - residents can drop off
their trees for a small fee at a number of locations for a small
fee, ranging from $1 to $6. Open dates depend on the drop-off site,
so be sure to find one that suits you best. Most drop-off is free and residents can recycle their
trees through late January. Here is a list of the
Washington County, MN Christmas Tree drop-off locations.
dropping
them off at one of the available yard waste drop-off sites in
Washington County. Tree stands, plastic bags, tinsel, wire, lights,
and all other decorations must be removed before drop-off.
Private waste haulers, cities, or townships may also accept
Christmas trees. Residents should contact sites directly for more
information.
Sites accepting trees include:
Cottage Grove: Rumpca Companies, Inc. 9600 Glendenning Road, Cottage Grove
Forest Lake: City of Forest Lake Public Works 843 4th St. SW, Forest Lake
Through January 31st; 24 hour drop-off No Charge Forest Lake residents only 651-464-3220
Oakdale: City of Oakdale
Public Works 1900 Hadley Avenue N., Oakdale Mon - Fri January 1 to 31st from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Small fee per tree Oakdale residents only
651-730-2740
Northern Yard Waste Site 5527 170th St. N., Hugo Saturdays (December-March) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
No charge Washington and Ramsey County residents 651-430-6655See website