When your Christmas tree's green branches no longer delight you, you may be wondering what to do with it once the holiday season is over.
Sacramento residents who are a part of the city's yard waste program will be able to recycle their whole Christmas tree by just leaving it outside on the curb in front of their residence until Jan. 24. Before leaving your tree outside, be sure to remove ornaments, decorations, string lights, and tree stands. City services will collect up to five trees per household.
Residents who miss this deadline can also chop their tree into pieces that will fit inside their yard waste container.
Sacramento has five free drop-off sites that will operate during the first week of January for residents who don't have yard waste service. Leaving a tree outside on the curb in an area without the yard waste service is considered illegal dumping.
Here's a list of the drop off sites and collection times:
Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station
8491 Fruitridge Road
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, January 9
Also accepting trees December 26 - January 9, Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(from Jackson Highway, south on Florin Perkins Road, right on Fruitridge Road)
SMUD - Corporation Yard
6100 Folsom Blvd.
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 9
North Area Recovery Station
4450 Roseville Road
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10
(I-80 to Watt, left on Roseville Road)
Kiefer Landfill
12701 Kiefer Blvd.
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10
(from Jackson Highway, north on Grant Line, right on Kiefer)
Elder Creek Recovery and Transfer
8642 Elder Creek Road
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, January 9
(from Jackson Highway, south on Florin Perkins Road, left on Elder Creek)
Residents in Yolo County also have a tree recycling program from Dec. 26 through Jan. 15. Residents can take their trees to two drop-off locations:
Yolo County Central Landfill
44090 County Road 28H
6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Esparto Convenience Center
27075 County Road 19A
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Only Wednesday and Saturday
Both locations will be closed on Jan. 1. Similar to Sacramento's recycling service, residents should remove everything off the tree.
Yolo County's program is only for county residents, and they will accept up to two trees per household. All trees recycled will turn your formally decorated tree into valuable and essential organic matter as they biodegrade and decompose.
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