Get that dry Christmas tree out of your house; a few recycling options are available
The holidays are gone and the dead of winter has arrived, meaning leftover Christmas trees have suddenly found themselves without a job.
Or, actually, between jobs.
And now is the time to make sure the trees are safely removed from houses before it's too late.
Dry Christmas trees are a fire hazard
Most home-improvement experts, like Bob Vila, recommend that cut trees only remain in the home about five weeks.
Any longer and the trees will start to dry out, which can become a fire hazard, according to Mike Thompson, chief of the Shelby Fire Department.
"A dry Christmas tree is extremely flammable," Thompson said. "When they start drying up, get them out. The sooner the better if it's a live tree."
Compost facility accepting old trees
It might be a sad moment taking ornaments and lights off the Christmas trees, but there's comfort in knowing those trees will give life to other species for years to come.
Most trees in North Central Ohio are turned into compost that are spread upon gardens and flower beds each spring.
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Residents of Richland County can take their old Christmas trees to the county's solid waste compost facility at 441 Cairns Road between Harrington Memorial Road and Bowman Street.
"As long as it is free of tensile, ornaments and lights," said Brenda Metcalf, the facility's financial manager.
Drop off for trees technically takes place Jan. 11 to Jan. 15, but that's really only the hours someone will be there to greet residents.
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"There have been people already stopping by," Metcalf said. "If the compost is closed, they can just set it by the gate.
Recycling available in Crawford County
Many cities across the region have their compost sites as well, including both Bucyrus and Galion in Crawford County.
Public hours to drop off Christmas trees ended for Bucyrus residents the first week of the year, according to Jeff Reser, the city's mayor.
"If they still have them next week then they need to put them out on the curb on their regular trash day," Reser said.
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Galion residents can have their trees removed as late as Jan. 21, according to Matt Echelberry, the city's communications manager.
"Galion residents may place trees by the street curb and the service department will pick up," Echelberry said. "Although not required, residents can notify the city by calling 419-468-1857, option 1, or by filling out a service request."
Compost for sale by truck or by bag
Organic material from Christmas trees, fallen limbs, lawn waste and leaves are all blended together and offered back to the community each spring.
"We actually use those trees when we do the grinding at the compost facility," Metcalf said. "And during a wind storm we try to open the compost facility for a week so the residents can dispose of their items."
The grinding process usually begins in March when the winter freeze has started to thaw.
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"The leaf mulch is the first one to go," Metcalf said. "It's really popular and it's really nice."
Residents are encouraged to purchase the compost for use in their lawns this spring.
"We charge $15 a yard. If they want less than that, that's fine," Metcalf said. "If they want it by the bag, they would have to bring their own bags and it's $1 per bag."
Trees can create wildlife habitat
In the southern portions of Ohio, the ODNR Division of Wildlife uses discarded real Christmas trees to create shelter for Ohio wildlife including fish, birds and small mammals.
Christmas trees are gathered by Division of Wildlife fisheries staff from recycling and drop-off programs for use as fish habitat, according to an ODNR news release.
Those trees are bundled together and weighted down so they sink to the lake's bottom, where they attract many species including crappie, bluegill, and other panfish, as well as largemouth bass and saugeye.
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A live-cut Christmas tree can also be recycled as the centerpiece of a wildlife-friendly brush pile. Landowners can place the tree in a desired location and stack limbs around it in a square arrangement, layering more brush until a desired height is reached. They should then cover the top with additional brush to create a unique and valuable shelter for small animals.
Songbirds, including northern cardinals, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches, travel in and out of brush piles for food, nesting and to escape predators. Small mammals — including cottontail rabbits and chipmunk — also use brush piles for shelter and raising young.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Dry Christmas trees a fire hazard but recycling options now available
