Watch out for that tree!

How to recycle a real Christmas tree

Most local authorities offer free Christmas tree recycling in the first half of January. These services are designed for real, natural Christmas trees from people's homes, and the service is usually located at recycling centres, bring centres, or local drop off points. 

To get your tree ready for recycling, remember to:

• Remove all decorations
• Take off lights
• Remove pots, stands, and netting

For locations and times that Christmas tree recycling is available in your area check your local authority's website.

What happens to Christmas trees after they are recycled?

You might be surprised to learn that most real Christmas trees do not get incinerated or go to landfill. Instead, they get returned to the soil in a way that's practical and sustainable.

From your home to local parks and green spaces

When you bring your real Christmas tree to a local authority recycling point, it is usually shredded into small pieces. These wood chips are then used as mulch or compost. Mulch and compost are very useful materials that helps local authorities to:

• Protect plants and young trees
• Suppress weeds
• Keep moisture in the soil

This mulch and compost is used in parks, roadside planting, flower beds, and other public green spaces.

How local authorities process real Christmas trees

While there are small differences around the country, the recycling process is broadly the same in every local authority area.

• Preparing trees for recycling: Staff first check that no decorations or lights are still attached. This is important because items like these can damage machinery and contaminate the compost. Trees are then stored in a dedicated area during the January collection period, kept separate from other waste.
• Shredding, composting and mulch: Trees are shredded either on site using mobile shredders or taken to contractors with industrial chipping equipment. The result is a mix of wood chips and needles. In some areas, this material is composted along with other green waste to create a soil conditioner. In others, the wood chips are used directly as mulch in parks and landscaped areas.

Can artificial Christmas trees be recycled?

Because artificial Christmas trees are often made from a mix of plastics, metals, and sometimes built-in lights, recycling them is very difficult. Reusing an artificial tree for as many years as possible is usually the most sustainable choice. If you do need to part with an artificial tree – perhaps to make way for a real tree next Christmas – consider donating it or passing it on, so it can continue to be used.

New recycling options for artificial trees

The good news is that some local authorities are testing new solutions for recycling artificial trees. For example, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has introduced a pilot project called Project reTREE. This allows people to bring artificial trees, including trees with built-in lights, to selected recycling centres. The trees are then sent to specialist facilities where plastics and metals are separated and recycled. Visit your local authority's website to see if an artificial Christmas tree recycling scheme is being piloted in your area.

Thinking ahead: a reusable living Christmas tree

Some people like to use a living Christmas tree in a pot as an alternative. These trees usually live in their pots outside during the year, and they are brought inside in December to be decorated and lit.

Caring for a living Christmas tree indoors

If you choose this option:

• Don't forget to keep the tree watered when it's inside
• Place it some distance away from radiators and fires

With proper care, the same tree can be used year after year.

Resources

Check with your local authority to find out more about their Christmas tree recycling locations and times.

Visit MyWaste.ie for more information about recycling Christmas decorations, broken or unwanted Christmas tree lights, and Christmas wrapping paper.