Looking to get rid of your Christmas tree? Consider recycling it at 23 locations.
As many Delawareans take down their live Christmas trees for another year, state officials are encouraging residents to take advantage of an eco-friendly alternative to dumping them on a curb or at state parks.
Each real Christmas tree can be recycled, processed and reused to serve a second life of benefiting the environment, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
“[Recycling] is important for a number of reasons … chief among them: keeping reusable organic material from going to waste by converting it to mulch that retains moisture and sequesters carbon for plant growth,” said DNREC spokesman Michael Globetti, adding that recycling also saves valuable space in Delaware landfills.
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Residents can start taking advantage of the many yard waste recycling sites located across Delaware. Trees are not accepted at state parks and it is illegal to leave them on dunes or beaches, the DNREC states in a news release.
The latest a state facility will collect a tree is Jan. 28, except for the Polly Drummond Hill Road yard waste site in Newark. That facility closes on Jan. 15 and reopens on March 25.
A free option to properly dispose of Christmas trees is the Delaware Center for Horticulture’s “family-friendly” tree shredding event in Wilmington. It will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7. The drop off is located at 1810 N. Dupont St. To learn more information about this event, visit thedch.org.
For residents of the city of Newark, the city’s public works department will collect trees curbside through Saturday, Jan. 28. Crews will do a sweep through the city once per week to collect the trees, according to a news release.
Below are other locations across the state where residents can drop off Christmas trees for a fee. Before taking your tree, contact a facility for specific hours and details.
New Castle County
Copeland's Mulch Depot Address: 112 Water St., Newport Phone: (302) 633-9536DSWA Cherry Island Composting / MulchingAddress: 12th Street and Hay Road, WilmingtonPhone: (800) 404-708Holland MulchAddress: 135 Hay Road, Edgemoor Phone: (302) 765-3100, (800) 823-0020Address: 1034 S. Chapel St., NewarkPhone: (302) 737-1000
Middletown MaterialsAddress: 1559 Cedar Lane Road, MiddletownPhone: (302) 378-6306
DSWA Pine Tree Corners Transfer StationAddress: 276 Pine Tree Road, TownsendPhone: (800) 404-7080
Polly Drummond Hill Community Yard Waste SiteAddress: Polly Drummond Hill Road, Pike CreekPhone: (302) 739-9403
31,000 Christmas lights at this Delaware home flash to music. Middletown display grows.
Kent County
DSWA Cheswold Collection Station Composting / MulchingAddress: 54 Fork Branch Road, CheswoldPhone: (800) 404-7080
DSWA Sandtown (Central) Landfill Composting / MulchingAddress: 1107 Willow Grove Road, MilfordPhone: (800) 404-7080
Blue Hen OrganicsAddress: 33529 Fox Run Road, FrankfordPhone: (302) 732-3211
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Sussex County
DSWA Bridgeville Collection Station Composting / MulchingAddress: 16539 Polk Road, BridgevillePhone: (800) 404-7080
Eastern Shore Forest ProductsAddress: 79324 Lazy Lagoon Road, FrankfordPhone: (410) 742-5540
DSWA Ellendale Collection Station Composting / MulchingAddress: 13870 S. Old State Road, EllendalePhone: (800) 404-7080
DSWA Jones Crossroads Landfill Composting / MulchingAddress: 28560 Landfill Lane, GeorgetownPhone: (800) 404-7080
Mr. MulchAddress: 22288 Coverdale Road, SeafordPhone: (302) 629-5737DSWA Long Neck Collection Station Composting / MulchingAddress: 28963 Mount Joy Road, MillsboroPhone: (800) 404-7080
DSWA Omar Collection Station Composting / MulchingAddress: 33086 Burton Farm Road, FrankfordPhone: (800) 404-7080
DSWA Route 5 Transfer Station Composting / MulchingAddress: 29997 John P. Healy Drive, HarbesonPhone: (800) 404-7080Selbyville Mulch, Stone and SoilAddress: 38205 DuPont Blvd., SelbyvillePhone: (302) 436-8286
STI Landscape SolutionsAddress: 20144 John J. Williams Highway, LewesPhone: (302) 645-6262Stockley MaterialsAddress: 25063 Dupont Blvd., GeorgetownPhone: (302) 856-7601
Address: 32416 Lewes Georgetown Highway, LewesPhone: (302)-644-7602Address: 17959 Johnson Road, LincolnPhone: (302) 265-2417
If we missed any drop-off facilities, please contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Time to take the Christmas tree down? An eco-friendly way to ditch it.
