Here's how Fox Cities residents can dispose of Christmas trees, decorations after the holidays

Sophia Voight, Appleton Post-Crescent
·2 min read
A discarded Christmas tree in Appleton awaits pickup by city crews. The trees should be free of decorations, lights and plastic bags.
A discarded Christmas tree in Appleton awaits pickup by city crews. The trees should be free of decorations, lights and plastic bags.

LITTLE CHUTE - The holidays typically bring plenty of presents and colorful decorations — but also plenty of trash.

Knowing where and how to throw out or recycle your post-holiday decor and tree is key to starting the new year off on a more sustainable foot.

What holiday items can and cannot go in your curbside recycling?

Residents in Outagamie, Winnebago and Brown counties all follow the same rules for curbside recycling because the materials are processed together at the Tri-County Recycling Facility in Little Chute.

Paper of all kinds, including wrapping paper, greeting cards and envelopes, is accepted as long as there is no foil or glitter. Tissue paper cannot be put in your bins.

Paperboard gift boxes, cardboard boxes and wrapping paper tubes are accepted.

Other items that can be placed in your recycling bins if cleaned of any residue include:

  • Newspapers

  • Milk, juice and soup cartons

  • Household bottles, jars and jugs

  • Dairy containers and lids

  • Produce, bakery and deli containers

  • Aluminum bottles and cans

  • Steel and tin cans

  • Glass food and beverage bottles and jars

What holiday items can be recycled but not in curbside bins?

Some holiday trash requires special machinery to dispose of and reuse so it cannot go in your recycling bins.

Old string lights and Styrofoam from packages can't go in your bins, but you can drop them off to be recycled at the Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste center at 1919 Holland Road in Little Chute.

Polystyrene foam is recycled in the county's "foam dome." Read about it here.

What local governments in the Fox Cities offer curbside pickup of real Christmas trees?

Most Fox Cities municipalities will pick up discarded Christmas trees in the new year. Trees should be placed on the curb with lights, decorations and stands removed.

Here is when local municipalities will collect live Christmas trees:

  • Appleton: Curbside collection is the week of Jan. 8 to 12

  • Menasha: Curbside collection will coincide with the city's Jan. 8 to 12 brush pickup. Residents should leave their trees out on their regular garbage day.

  • Neenah: Director of Public Works Gerry Kaiser said residents can leave their trees on the curb after Christmas, and once the city notices enough of them, it will pick them all up. Trees are either donated to local fishing clubs or made into mulch.

  • Kaukauna: The city offers two periods of curbside tree pickup, from Jan. 8 to 11 and Jan. 13 to 18. Residents should leave their trees out on their regular garbage day.

  • Grand Chute: Curbside collection is the week of Jan. 8 to 12 on residents' regular garbage day.

  • Kimberly: Curbside collection is from Jan. 9 to 11 on residents' regular garbage day.

  • Buchanan: Trees will be picked up Jan 10. The town asks for trees to be on the roadside by 6 a.m.

  • Combined Locks: The village will pickup trees Jan. 3 or 31.

Sophia Voight covers local government and politics in the Fox Valley for The Post-Crescent. She can be reached with story tips and feedback at svoight@postcrescent.com.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: How to recycle Christmas trees, decorations in the Fox Cities