Don't let your Christmas tree become a fire hazard. Recycle it now. Here's how
Now that St. Nick has delivered his Christmas gifts, it's your job to toss the discarded wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and ribbons and vacuum up the tinsel scattered around the house.
As for the wilting yuletide pine that has been shedding needles for days, you have several options for disposing of it.
Fire officials warn that dry Christmas trees can pose a fire hazard so don't put off your disposal chore for too long.
Within the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment is offering curbside collection for Christmas tree recycling through the end of January, according to the city’s website.
Several options are available for scheduling a pickup, such as creating a ticket on the MYLA311 website, submitting a ticket request on the L.A. Sanitation and Environment homepage, or calling the 24-hour customer service line at (800) 773-2489.
Before your tree can be hauled away, the sanitation department requires the removal of all decorations, tinsel and stands. Additionally, you need to cut the trees into pieces, place them in the green bin and set them out for regular collection on trash day.
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Residents of multifamily buildings can place trees on the curb for regularly scheduled collection days.
The city will not accept artificial trees and trees layered in fake snow for recycling. If your tree is covered in fake snow, you should put it in the black trash can designated for landfill disposal.
The city's sanitation department uses recycled Christmas trees to produce compost and mulch, which residents can obtain for free.
If you want to drop off your tree for mulching, the city offers two locations.
The Gaffey Street SAFE Center at 1400 N. Gaffey St. in San Pedro will accept trees from Jan. 2 to Jan. 31, Monday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Lopez Canyon Environmental Education Center in Lake View Terrace will accept trees on the same dates and hours.
The Los Angeles Fire Department urges people to immediately remove and recycle natural trees. The department warns that dry Christmas needles can turn a small fire into an inferno in less than 7 seconds.
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In addition to the mulching facilities, you can also drop your trees off at 13 Los Angeles city fire department stations until Jan. 12. Participating stations include:
Fire Station #3
108 N. Fremont Ave., 90012 — Civic Center / Bunker Hill
Fire Station #21
1192 E. 51st St., 90011 — South Los Angeles
Fire Station #28
11641 Corbin Ave., 91326 — Porter Ranch
Fire Station #29
4029 Wilshire Blvd., 90010 — Hancock Park
Fire Station #36
1005 N. Gaffey St., 90731 — North San Pedro
Fire Station #44
1410 Cypress Ave., 90065 — Cypress Park
Fire Station #64
10811 S. Main St., 90061 — South Los Angeles
Fire Station #65
1801 E. Century Blvd., 90002 — Watts
Fire Station #77
9224 Sunland Blvd., 91352 — Sun Valley
Fire Station #81
14355 Arminta St., 91402 — Panorama City
Fire Station #88
5101 N. Sepulveda Blvd., 91403 — Sherman Oaks
Fire Station #94
4470 Coliseum St., 90016 — South Los Angeles
Fire Station #106
23004 Roscoe Blvd., 91304 — West Hills
Several L.A. recreation centers and parks will also offer a one-day drop-off event on Jan. 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The locations include: the Los Angeles Zoo parking lot; the Rancho Cienega Recreation Center in Baldwin Hills; the Balboa Sports Center in Encino; the Cheviot Hills Recreation Center in Rancho Park; Sunland Park near Sun Valley; and the Westchester Municipal Building near the Los Angeles International Airport.
Read more: 'Always the darkest house on the street': What it's like to not celebrate Christmas in L.A.
Long Beach
The Long Beach Public Works Department is offering its annual “Treecycling” disposal program for residents until Jan. 12. The city has a dozen free drop-off locations available Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on the weekends from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you are unable to drop off your old tree, the city will pick up it for one day only on Jan. 13. Long Beach residents must place their trees on the curb by 7 a.m.
Don't forget to remove all decorations and stands and cut any tree over 12 feet in half. Flocked trees will be accepted.
Santa Monica
Santa Monica's holiday tree collection will run until Jan. 31. The city advises residents to place bare trees on the curbside or alleys ready for pickup and to avoid placing trees in parking lots or parks. Calling 311 is not necessary for tree pickup.
Pasadena
Pasadena offers curbside pickup for bare trees to all solid waste customers on their regularly scheduled trash days from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16.
If you prefer to drop off your Christmas trees, locations are open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Eaton Blanche Park and Robinson Park until Jan. 2.
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Newport Beach
Residents of Newport Beach have until Jan. 15 to place their cut-up trees in the green recycling bins. The local sanitation company, CR&R Environmental Services, requests that all ornaments, tinsel, lights and tree stands be removed.
Artificial trees and those with fake snow should be placed in black trash bins in Newport Beach, as they will not be recycled.
Laguna Beach
In Laguna Beach, Waste Management will for the next three weeks collect and recycle holiday trees. Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half and placed on the curb during a regular collection day.
Waste Management transports the trees to Tierra Verde Industries in Irvine for composting.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
