Where to recycle your Christmas trees in Wake County

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- It might not be time just yet, but starting Saturday in Wake County, you can get rid of your Christmas tree by recycling it.

Wake County will turn trees into mulch for county parks and trails.

"Happy Trails turns your old Christmas tree into a gift that keeps on giving for our parks. Our trails start each new year with a fresh coat of mulch thanks to this program, which is a real win-win for residents and our parks," said Chris Snow, director of Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space. "Last year, we recycled a record 6,645 trees, which created more than 114 tons of mulch for our trails."

All you have to do is drop your tree off at a designated waste and recycling center or a county park.

The drop-off process is contactless to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

You can donate your tree for recycling through January 24.

Click here for drop-off locations and hours.

WAKE FOREST

The Town of Wake Forest is encouraging residents to make recycling a holiday tradition by recycling their Christmas trees. The Town began collecting and recycling live Christmas trees from residential homes on Monday according to its normal yard waste collection schedule.

All Wake Forest residents whose trash and recycling are collected by the Town may participate in the "Treecycling" program. To recycle your Christmas tree, simply remove all decorations, tinsel, nails, stands and bags from the tree and set it behind the curb for collection. Residents are reminded that artificial trees cannot be recycled.

By recycling Christmas trees, Wake Forest saves valuable space at the landfill. The collected trees will be ground into mulch and made available for free to residents upon request.

To request mulch, contact Betty Pearce at 919-435-9573 or bpearce@wakeforestnc.gov.

CHAPEL HILL

Town crews will pick up holiday trees and wreaths for mulching on the regular yard waste collection schedule.

Yard waste is collected on Thursday from single-family residences on a Monday trash collection schedule and on Fridays from those with Tuesday trash collection.

Remove all decorations, tinsel and wire before leaving trees and wreaths at the curbside along with other yard waste. Residents of apartment complexes should place trees in the area designated by property managers.

CARRBORO

Carrboro Public Works crews will collect Christmas trees and wreaths as part of the regular yard waste collection schedule.

Please remove all decorations from the tree or wreath, including tinsel and any nails from the stand. Trees and wreaths should be placed at the curbside with other yard waste.