Here's how to reuse or recycle your Christmas tree after the holidays around Greater Cincinnati

While it has center stage during the Christmas holidays, once the celebrations are over, the Christmas tree has to bow out.

If you have a fake tree, it's easy to store it away until next year, but for real Christmas trees, recycling takes a little effort. There are plenty of options to recycle or reuse your live tree around the Greater Cincinnati area.

Hamilton County

Residents in Hamilton County can compost their Christmas trees and other holiday greenery through one of the county's three yard waste drop-off sites.

The free program from the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District will accept trees, greenery, yard trimming and other organic materials from noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 6 and Jan. 13. Trees and greenery will be composted, according to a release from the county.

The drop-off sites are:

• Oakdale Elementary School, 3850 Virginia Court, Green Township.

• Rumpke Sanitary Landfill, 3800 Struble Road (and Colerain Avenue), Colerain Township.

• Bzak Landscaping, 3295 Turpin Lane (off Route 32), Anderson Township.

Whole Christmas trees are accepted, but residents should remove any ornaments, tinsel, lights, tree bags, etc., before bringing them in. The drop-off is only for Hamilton County residents, who must bring proof of residency.

All children must stay in vehicles during the drop-off, and no large trailers or trucks larger than pickups are allowed. The drop-off also does not accept any pallets, boards, nails, fence, wire, bricks, stones or soil.

Here's what else you'll need to know:

• Brush and tree branches from the yard should be cut into lengths of four feet or less – branches must not exceed one foot in diameter.

• Bundle brush and tree branches with twine – bundles must not be heavier than 50 pounds.

• If not bundled, bring yard trimmings to the location in containers or bags – brown paper bags preferred. Containers and plastic bags will be returned.

• Landscapers and commercial establishments are not eligible to participate in this program.

• Illegal dumping is prohibited.

• All material is composted.

Blue Ash

Rumpke will collect your Christmas tree, with all decorations removed, at the curb on your regular trash collection day. If your tree is larger than 10 feet tall, cut it in two. Call 513-745-8538 with questions.

Residents can also use the dumpsters at the Blue Ash Service Center, 6131 Interstate Circle, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Two forms of ID are required: a driver's license and a recent utility bill. For any questions, call 513-686-1250.

Cincinnati

Non-artificial Christmas trees will be collected during regular yard waste collection schedules.  Please remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, etc.  After Jan. 12, yard waste will no longer be collected. The Hamilton County yard trimming drop-off sites will re-open for two Saturdays in January: Jan. 6 and Jan. 13 from noon to 3 p.m. for residents to compost their Christmas trees and other yard trimmings.

For more information about the city’s yard waste collection program, please visit the yard waste website. You can also download the 311Cincymobile app to find your collection schedule and submit service requests. The free app is available for download on Apple and Android devices.

Colerain Township

Colerain Township residents may drop off their live Christmas trees for recycling through Jan. 15. The drop-off is at the pole barn behind the township administration building, 4200 Springdale Road.

Trees should not be wrapped in plastic or have anything attached to them. Township employees will chip the trees during work hours. The resulting mulch will be available to residents on a first-come, first-served basis for as long as supplies last.

Deer Park

Since Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on Saturdays this year, there is no change to pick-up days during the upcoming holidays.

Christmas trees can be placed at the curb for disposal as part of Rumpke's weekly brush-chipping service.

Green Township

Green Township residents can recycle their trees at the county site at Oakdale Elementary School, 3850 Virginia Court, from noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 6 and Jan. 13.

Forest Park

Christmas tree drop-off runs through Jan. 13 at Kemper Meadow Park, 1280 West Kemper Road. All ornaments, ribbons, wires and plastic bags need to be removed. Forest Park asks residents to place the tree on the grass by the curb on the south side of the park's parking lot and to point the trunks toward the parking lot curb and the top of the tree pointing toward West Kemper Road. The tree will be chipped the following Monday and used as ground covering in the spring.

Symmes Township

Christmas tree recycling for residents will begin Dec. 26 and last until Jan. 30. There will be a designated drop-off area behind the Symmes Township Administration building, 9323 Union Cemetery Road.

Butler County

Depending on where you live in Butler County, here are some options for live Christmas tree recycling and dropoff.

Fairfield

Trees can be dropped off at the Waterworks Park at 5021 Groh Lane through Jan. 7 as part of the Parks and Recreation Department's Holiday Tree Recycling Program. Call 867-5348 or visit www.fairfield-city.org for more information.

Oxford

The City of Oxford Streets and Maintenance Division picks up and recycles trees on regularly scheduled refuse collection days. Yard waste tags are not required for this service, which does not include wreaths or garlands. This service will run through Jan. 31. Please remove lights and ornaments.

West Chester

From Dec. 26 to Jan. 31, residents can drop off live trees at Keehner Park, 7411 Barrett Road, in the tennis court area, or at Beckett Park, 8650 Beckett Road off Union Centre Blvd., in the soccer field area. Brush, yard debris and landscape material are not accepted. For more information, call 513-777-5900, or visit www.westchesteroh.org.

Hamilton

Residents may leave trees at the curb with their household trash for pick up by Rumpke on regular trash collection days. For trees larger than 6 feet, cut them in half. Questions should be directed to the Hamilton Transfer Station at 513-867-8661 or visit www.hamilton-city.org for more details.

Middletown, Monroe and Trenton

Residents may leave trees at the curb with their household trash for pick up by Rumpke on regular trash collection days. For trees larger than 6 feet, cut them in half.

Warren County

Deerfield Township

Deerfield will have Christmas tree drop-off locations at Cottell, Fleckenstein, and Landen-Deerfield parks.

Deerfield Township Parks are open daily from dawn until dusk. Areas will be sectioned off and posted with signs for township residents to drop off their Christmas trees. Christmas trees will be accepted for recycling during park hours from Jan. 2 through Jan. 22.

Mason

The Mason Public Works Department will pick up trees at your curb through the month of January. Please remove all decorations and place the cut end toward the street.

Northern Kentucky

Northern Kentucky communities also offer options for tree dropoff and recycling.

Boone County

In partnership with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, treecycling is open through Jan. 15 at Camp Ernst Lake Boat Ramp at Camp Ernst Park, 7615 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington. Please note that sites may not have staff present at the time of your visit, so there may not be anyone to help you unload your tree.

Campbell County

In partnership with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Campbell County operates a Tree Recycling Program now through Jan. 15.  Residents can drop off live, undecorated trees at Pendery Park, 4113 Williams Lane, Melborne, Ky., to be used for fish habitat in lakes across the state. Please note that sites may not have staff present at the time of your visit, so there may not be anyone to help you unload your tree.

Other Campbell County communities also have options:

• Alexandria: At the Alexandria maintenance garage, 865 Gilbert Ridge Road.

• Highland Heights: At the city building, 176 John's Hill Road.

• Fort Thomas: At Tower Park on the parking lot side.

• Newport: Across from Public Works at 1020 E. 9th Street.

• Southgate: Place at curb or drop off at 260 West Walnut Street.

• Wilder: Drop-off at the public works building, 114 Center Street.

Kenton County

Kenton County Public Works is once again partnering with cities to mulch discarded Christmas trees. In order to be mulched, all trees must be free of ornaments and lights. The program is for live trees only. No artificial trees or wreaths.

• Covington: Kenton County Extension Center, 10990 Marshall Road, Covington, Jan. 8.

• Crescent Springs: Lou Hartfiel Memorial Park, 800 Buttermilk Pike, Jan. 12 and Jan. 18.

• Crestview Hills: Administration building, 50 Town Center Boulevard, Jan. 17.

• Edgewood: Presidents Park, 283 Dudley Road, and Freedom Park, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Jan. 9 and Jan. 17.

• Erlanger: Public Works, 3516 Jack Scheben Drive, Jan. 10.

• Fort Wright: Administration Complex, 409 Kyles Lane, Jan. 16.

• Lakeside Park: City building, 9 Buttermilk Pike, Jan. 18.

• Ludlow: Ludlow Memorial Park by Hollingsworth Field, 600 Elm St., Jan. 9.

• Independence: Memorial Park, 2001 Jack Woods Parkway, Jan. 11 and Jan. 19.

• Park Hills: Our Lady of Lourdes, 1101 Amsterdam Road, Jan. 10.

• Taylor Mill: Pride Park, 5614 Taylor Mill Road, Jan. 11.

• Villa Hills: Civic Club, 729 Rogers Road, Jan. 12.

Want to DIY? Here's how to sustainably recycle your Christmas tree

If you live in a place with a yard and love the look of the tree year-round, there's always the option of replanting it.

Other ways to reuse the tree include:

• Burning the wood to ash your garden.

• Making firewood.

• Chipping the tree or using the needles for mulch.

• If you have a lake or pond on your property, dump the tree in it to create a habitat for fish.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Where to recycle your Christmas tree around Greater Cincinnati