‘Tis the season — for recycling your Christmas tree. Here’s your comprehensive guide to responsibly disposing of your tree and other holiday greenery in the D.C. region.
D.C.
Holiday trees and greenery in the nation’s capital will be collected from Dec. 27 to Jan. 31. Place them outside where your trash is normally collected. Residents who wish to compost their trees instead can call 311 to arrange a pickup or drop-off location by Jan. 10.
Maryland
Montgomery County
Live Christmas trees are accepted year-round in Montgomery County’s curbside yard trim collection. Set your tree on the curb by 7 a.m. on your recycling collection day. Residents of apartments and condominiums should check with their property manager for specific instructions. To dispose of an artificial tree, request a bulk trash pickup or consider offering it online for reuse.
Prince George’s County
Residents with yard trim collection can put live trees on the curb, undecorated and unbagged, from Dec. 30 to Jan. 27. by 6 a.m. on their scheduled collection day. Drop-off is also available at the following locations:
- Brown Station Road Public Container Pad & Recycling Area, 3501 Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro. Hours: 7 a.m. — 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday.
- Missouri Ave Solid Waste Acceptance & Recycling Center, 12701 Missouri Avenue, Brandywine. Hours: 6:30 a.m. — 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. — 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 7:30 a.m. — 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday.
Frederick County
Frederick County, Maryland, does not provide curbside collection of Christmas trees. Instead, contact your local government or homeowners association. The county does offer mulching and composting services at six drop-off locations — and the mulch will be handed out for free on Jan. 10.
- Reichs Ford Road Yard Waste Recycling Site, 9031 Reichs Ford Road, Frederick
- Ballenger Creek Park, 5420 Ballenger Creek Pike, Frederick (second parking lot on the left)
- Kemptown Park, 3456B Kemptown Church Road, Monrovia (lower left parking lot)
- Middletown Park Recycling Center, 7628 Coblentz Road, Middletown (gravel lot by maintenance shop road)
- Point of Rocks Ruritan Club: 1637 Ballenger Creek Pike, Point of Rocks (left side of parking lot)
- Eyler Road Park: 30 Eyler Road, Thurmont (fenced area on right)
Howard County
For curbside pickup, Howard County residents can place their tree out for pickup on their scheduled yard trim collection day until Friday, Jan. 17. Trees placed out on trash collection day will not be picked up. The county also encourages mulching at eight locations seven days per week.
After Jan. 17, trees can be placed out for trash collection but will be sent to a landfill — the county asks residents to only do this as a last resort. Trees should be undecorated and unbagged, but must be cut into less than 4 foot lengths each weighing less than 40 pounds.
Trees can still be recycled after Jan. 17 at the Alpha Ridge Wood Waste Area at 2350 Marriottsville Road in Marriottsville from Monday through Saturday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Anne Arundel County
All natural yard waste, including Christmas trees, is collected at the curb year-round on scheduled collection days. Trees, garlands and wreaths must be on the curb before 6 a.m. Cut very tall trees in half so that the tree will fit into the truck. Anne Arundel County also encourages home composting with kits available at area recycling centers.
Charles County
Christmas trees in Charles County can be dropped off at twelve sites between Dec. 26 and Jan. 12. There is no curbside recycling. Bring your tree without a plastic bag. See a full list of drop-off sites.
Virginia
Fairfax County
Christmas trees can be dropped off at the I-66 Transfer Station or the I-95 Landfill Complex for a $7 fee. Artificial trees can also be donated at those locations. Licensed collectors are also required to pick up and recycle real trees of up to 8 feet that have been set outside single-family homes and town houses for the first two weeks of January.
Alexandria
Residents who receive trash collection services from Alexandria can set out their natural Christmas tree at regular yard waste collection points by 6 a.m. on trash collection day, without decorations and not in a plastic bag. Trees will be ground into mulch and made available to residents this spring.
Arlington
Until Jan. 10, Arlington residents can place real trees on the curb no later than 6 a.m. on their regularly scheduled trash collection day after removing all decorations, without a plastic bag. Trees collected will be turned into mulch available from county facilities. After Jan. 10, trees of up to 8 feet are handled at curbside as part of regular year-round yard waste collection.
Loudoun County
Loudoun County offers five locations for residents to drop off their real trees for recycling from Dec. 26 to Jan. 20. Trees will be converted to mulch, available for residents year-round at the Loudoun County landfill. For curbside service, residents may contact their homeowners association, town office or recycling provider for schedules.
Prince William County
Residents of Prince William County can recycle their tree and other holiday greenery at the following locations after all decorations have been removed:
- Prince William County Landfill, 14811 Dumfries Road, Manassas. Hours: 6 a.m. — 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
- Balls Ford Road Compost Facility, 13000 Balls Ford Road, Manassas. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
- Leesylvania State Park, 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Drive (off Neabsco Road), Woodbridge. Trees may be dropped off at Shelter #2 and will be used for wildlife and aquatic habitats.
- Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), 5399 Wellington Branch Road, Gainesville from Dec. 26 to Jan. 13. The drop off area is located in the parking lot in the area outlined with safety cones to the right of the building.
