How to recycle trees, gift wrap, food waste, packaging, Christmas lights in Eugene

Alan Torres, Eugene Register-Guard
Updated ·4 min read

While preparing to celebrate holidays this season, think in advance about what you're wrapping, giving 4and throwing away to keep the amount of holiday trimmings out of the trash.

Americans throw away 25% more garbage than usual between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, according to the nonprofit National Environmental Education Foundation.

That includes 15 million Christmas trees, $11 billion worth of packing materials and 38,000 miles of ribbon — enough to wrap the entire planet.

Though the holidays can be made bright with less, it's hard to think of Christmas without some decoration and gift-giving items that may not last or be reusable the next year.

Here's a brief guide to keeping some of your holiday trimmings out of the trash.

Real trees and wreaths

Remove all the ribbons, lights and ornaments from trees and wreaths and cut it up to fit in your yard cart. Trees and wreaths also can be composted or turned into mulch for gardens.

Pickup, drop-off options:

  • Trees can be taken to Rexius, 150 Highway 99 in Eugene, or Lane Forest Products, 2111 Prairie Road in Eugene and 820 N. 42nd St. in Springfield. Both accept green and flocked trees for a fee.

  • Green trees can also be taken to Lane County's Transfer Stations in Glenwood (3100 E 17th Ave., Eugene), Cottage Grove (78760 Sears Rd) and Florence (2820 N Rhododendron Drive).

  • Scout Troop 182 in Eugene offers Christmas tree pickup in Eugene, Springfield, Junction City, Coburg and surrounding areas on weekends and some weekdays between Dec. 26 and Jan. 28. A $12 minimum donation is requested for trees under 7 feet, $20 for trees 8-10 feet and $30 for trees taller than 10 feet or flocked or painted trees. Get more information at www.trees182.com

  • Scout Troop 216 in Springfield also offers Christmas tree pickup. Call 541-954-9006 or email troop216treepickup@gmail.com to schedule a pickup see costs.

David Hawker from Lane Forest Products wrestles a Christmas tree out of a yard debris pile in January 2020. Lane Forest Products recycles natural trees.
David Hawker from Lane Forest Products wrestles a Christmas tree out of a yard debris pile in January 2020. Lane Forest Products recycles natural trees.

Artificial trees and wreaths

These can’t be recycled but may be accepted as donations at some resale stores, such as St. Vincent de Paul and Goodwill. St. Vincent de Paul spokesperson Joel Gorthy said the nonprofit will also recycle the metal from donated trees and wreaths that can't be resold.

Gift wrap and holiday cards

Tissue paper used for wrapping gifts or in gift bags and plainer holiday cards can be put in the blue mixed-waste recycling bin.

"But we encourage residents to save that party and reuse or make holiday cards or gift tags out of last year’s paper," Angie Marzano, Lane County Waste Reduction program supervisor told the Register-Guard.

Wrapping paper or cards that are shiny or slick or use photo paper, ribbons, bows or anything with glitter cannot be recycled. Some paper and gift-wrapping supplies can be donated to the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA) in Eugene.

Lane County describes where to take certain recyclables. Provided by Lane County.
Lane County describes where to take certain recyclables. Provided by Lane County.

Leftover food and food waste

Eugene and Springfield residents can place food waste in their yard debris bin instead of in the garbage as part of a citywide effort to keep it in landfills. The food waste will be composted.

Marzano added that if possible, it's better to eat what you buy and avoid creating food waste in the first place.

"Most of what we reinforce this year is food waste prevention," she said, noting a county-hosted Holiday Leftover Recipe Contest.

Packaging materials

Cardboard boxes can be broken down and put in the mixed recycling bin or at any of Lane County's transfer stations.

Packing peanuts can be taken to some mailing stores, such as UPS and FedEx. Call first to check whether they are accepting them.

Styrofoam can be taken to the Glenwood Transfer Station or to St. Vincent de Paul for recycling. St. Vincent de Paul shreds block Styrofoam and melts it into bricks that then can be transported to manufacturers.

Households can recycle up to a shopping cart’s worth of Styrofoam at any St. Vincent de Paul donation center or the Glenwood Transfer Station for no charge. No food containers or cups are accepted. Keep Styrofoam clean and remove tape.

St. Vincent de Paul charges businesses a fee to recycle Styrofoam.

Christmas lights

Residents can recycle electronics and Christmas lights at NextStep Recycling, 245 Jackson St. in Eugene. NextStep Recycling accepts functioning and non-functioning Christmas lights for recycling. Proceeds from the recycled lights go to a different charity each year.

If you’re upgrading to LED lights, you can recycle your incandescent lights at holidayLEDS.com, and get a coupon toward a purchase.

Electronics

Electronics can be recycled at NextStep Recycling, 245 Jackson St. in Eugene. Drop-off is free.

NextStep staff and trainees will safely remove your data and personal information from your device. Staff will refurbish donations and give them to someone who otherwise wouldn't have access to technology. If they can't fix it, they will recycle your donation by working with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality-approved processors.

Household batteries

Alkaline batteries made after 1996 are free of mercury and can be put in the trash. Other types of batteries — button, rechargeable alkaline, ni-Cad, lithium and silver oxide — are dangerous to throw away and can be recycled at county transfer stations and most battery and electronic stores.

Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached over email at atorres@registerguard or on Twitter @alanfryetorres.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Tree recycling, other holiday recycling in Lane County, Oregon