Tree-cycling of holiday evergreens offered at 15 Westmoreland sites

Jeff Himler, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·2 min read

Dec. 17—Christmas trees can become part of landscaping instead of a landfill when they're disposed of through the annual tree-cycling program in Westmoreland County.

Cosponsored by the nonprofit Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling, 15 locations will be available to accept drop-offs of discarded holiday trees. The drop-off sites remain unchanged from the previous year. Additional sponsors include J.A. Rutter Co., Penn Township and Youngwood Borough.

Dropoff locations include:

—Allegheny Township maintenance building, Dec. 25-Jan. 31

—Jason Wilkinson Nursery in Armbrust, Dec. 26-Jan. 15

—Derry Borough garage, through Jan. 31

—Derry Township municipal building. through Jan. 31

—Hempfield Area High School auxiliary parking lot, through Jan. 26

—Jan. 1 at the Level Green Volunteer Fire Department, Jan.1-Jan. 31

—Penn Township municipal office , Jan. 1-Jan.31

—Greenridge Reclamation Landfill near Scottdale, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, Dec. 26-Jan. 12.;

—Ligonier Country Market field in Ligonier Township, dawn to dusk, Dec. 26-Jan. 31;

—Mt. Pleasant Borough municipal compost site, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, Dec. 30-Jan. 31;

—North Huntingdon Township Public Works, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 26-Jan. 31;

—Unity Township municipal building, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, Jan. 2-31;

—Valley Landfill in Penn Township, 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays, Dec. 27-Jan. 31;

—Windstream parking lot, near Murrysville Giant Eagle, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jan. 6 and 13 (donations accepted);

—Youngwood Borough Maintenance Building (not at the borough gate), 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, Dec. 27-Jan. 12.

Trees collected through the program will be chipped into mulch for use at community parks. One live tree makes about 5 pounds of mulch, according to Westmoreland Cleanways.

"Let your tree's beauty go full circle by giving it back to the earth," said the organization's executive director, Mike Skapura.

All decorations, lights, tree skirts and bags must be removed when dropping off a tree for recycling.

Lights recycled separately

Broken or unwanted Christmas string lights can be taken separately for recycling during regular operating hours at the Westmoreland Cleanways headquarters, 355 Pleasant Unity Mutual Road near Pleasant Unity.

The lights are accepted throughout the year, but those brought in by mid-January will be recycled by Michael Brothers — with proceeds benefiting Project Bundle-Up, a joint effort by the Salvation Army and WTAE to provide winter outerwear for low-income residents in Western Pennsylvania.

According to Westmoreland Cleanways program director Natalie Reese, light donations have increased during the charitable program, which began in November.

"Some small businesses are collecting them from their employees and bringing them to us," she said.

Visit westmorelandcleanways.org or call 724-879-4020 for more details.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .