Scroll down this page for local Alabama recycling and responsible disposal options for holiday waste, from Christmas trees and wreathes, to lights, ornaments, wrapping and packaging. Many towns and cities offer curbside collection, even for Christmas trees. Counties and unicorporated areas typically have a number or drop-off locations.
Christmas trees are usually colllected from December 26th through
the first 2 or 3 weeks in January. Whether your tree is picked up from
your curb,
or you drop it off, be sure to remove all
remove all lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, stands, other
NON-Organic decorative materials and other materials that are not part
of the original tree. This includes tree stands also. Flocked trees are
occasionally accepted (call to verify), but not artificial trees. Large trees (larger
than the standard 6 - 7 ft tree) may need to be cut in half to
be acceptable by your
curbside garbage hauler.
The trees and wreathes are usually chipped and made into a mulch
which is often made available, free to city or county residents.
Recycling other items:
Always follow the links (usually the blue, underlined name of the city or county) below for updated information, as these agencies often wait until the last minute to change dates or update their information.
If your area is not specifically mentioned below, call your trash collection
agency and ask!
Alabama: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays January 2022
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an attractive box, instructions, a roll of tape, required labels, and a D.O.T. Special Permit.
- In Alexander City, Clanton, Millbrook, Prattville and Wetumpka, trees can be dropped off at Winn Dixie supermarkets in the designated
areas of the parking lots from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. until January 4th.
-
Auburn and Opelika
- The Keep Opelika Beautiful and Opelika Tree
Commission hosts a Christmas tree Recycling Event at the Opelika
Chamber of Commerce parking lot. This takes place the Saturday after
Christmas from 8 am to 12pm. Citizens receive a tree seedling in
exchange for the tree.
Auburn, Alabama waste collection page.
- Baldwin County - Trees free of decorations can
be brought to any of the following locations. For more information
on the Annual Baldwin County Christmas Tree Recycling Program, call
(251)972-6878.
Bay Minette Transfer Station: 4291 Nicholasville
Rd, Bay Minette, AL 36507.
Spanish Fort Volunteer Fire Dept:
7580 Spanish Ford Blvd, Spanish Fort, 36527.
MacBride Landfill:
14200 County Rd 64, Loxley, 36551.
Baldwin County Central Annex:
22251 Palmer St, Robertsdale, 36567.
Fairhope Satellite
Courthouse: 1100 Fairhope Ave, Fairhope, 36532.
Magnolia
Landfill: 15140 County Rd 49, Summerdale, 36580.
Foley Satellite
Courthouse: 201 E. Section Ave, Foley, 36535.
Perdido Beach
Volunteer Fire Dept: 8450 Escambia Ave, Perdido Beach, 36530.
- Birmingham - curbside pickup. Trees are chipped
by the city as part of their normal landscaping and yard debris
removal service on regularly scheduled pickup days.
This news story has more information
. The Birmingham Zoo and the
Mountain Brook Tree Commission are working together to recycle
natural Christmas trees at the
Birmingham
Zoo. Drop off natural trees free of ornaments, garland, etc. at the
zoo's
picnic area until the end of the first week in January. The trees will be turned into mulch and
used to control erosion throughout the zoo.
- Cullman - Drop off your trees in front of the
Aquaculture Center of Gadsden State Community College. The tree
branches will be dropped into the school's ponds to encourage the
spawning of yellow perch. The college is located on Wallace Drive in
Gadsden.
- Dothan - Drop off natural Christmas trees at
Dothan Utilities' 200 Kilgore Drive location, December 29th through
about January 8th. Please remove all decorations and ornaments prior to
bringing your tree for chipping.
- Enterprise -
- Fairhope - Trees will be picked up during
regular scheduled trash days through February 22nd. Mulch created
from those trees will be available at no cost to residents on Arbor
Day (late February) from 9:00 am until noon at the Public Works
Warehouse located at 555 S. Section Street. If you have questions,
call 251-990-0192.
- Enterprise - Natural
Christmas trees are picked up curbside and are chipped by the city
as part of their normal landscaping and yard debris removal service.
Some trees will be ground for
mulch while others will be deposited in local ponds to create fish
habitat.. The City of Enterprise does NOT accept drop off of
old Christmas trees. We will pick up curbside on their normal
garbage day. Per ADEM residents are not allowed on our premises.
Again, NO DROP OFF location at the City of Enterprise.
- Gardendale - Old Christmas trees are picked up
curbside and are chipped by the city as part of their normal
landscaping and yard debris removal service. Mulch generated goes to
Gardendale city landscaping.
- Homewood - From 8 am to 8 pm on December 26
through January 8 natural, decoration free Christmas trees can be
brought to the corner parking lot at Dale and Grace St. The trees
will be recycled and the mulch will be used for paths at the
Homewood City School's Community Garden. Decoration-free, natural
trees can also be dropped off in the designated areas in the back
rear parking lot of the Homewood Public Library.
- Hoover - Christmas trees will be picked up
curbside in January and are chipped by the city as part of their
normal landscaping and yard debris removal service on regularly
scheduled pickup days. There will also be a drop-off site on
Municipal Lane, across from the Lake House. Signs will be posted on
Municipal Lane after Christmas.
-
Huntsville
-
The city will pick up Christmas trees at curbside on your normal
yard waste collection day. Be sure to remove ornaments,
lights, stands, tinsel, etc.
The Solid Waste Disposal Authority of the City of Huntsville (SWDA) and its curbside recycling program, Recycling
Alliance of North Alabama (RANA), in coordination with the City of Huntsville, Madison County, the City of Madison and Operation Green Team are
hosting the Annual Operation Christmas Clean Up, Saturday, January 8, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at John Hunt Park, 2315 Airport Road.
Residents can recycle their Christmas trees, flattened and
broken-down cardboard boxes, batteries, and old electronics. To recycle a live Christmas tree, participants must remove all lights and ornaments.
Items that will not be accepted are artificial trees, wrapping paper and packaging materials (Styrofoam, plastic).
Also on one day in January
(they have not yet announced the date, you'll have to call them or see their Facebook page) from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm;
Huntsville's Green Team is partnering with the Solid
Waste Disposal Authority to help you recycle post-holiday items.
Selected recyclables from the list below may be dropped off at the Joe Davis
Stadium parking lot on one Saturday in January from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
PLEASE DO BRING:
Live Christmas trees, cardboard, batteries & electronics
(TV's, game consoles, etc)*
Remove lights & ornaments from live trees
Break down and FLATTEN your cardboard boxes prior to arrival
PLEASE
DON'T BRING:
No wrapping paper, no packaging materials such as styrofoam, plastic wrap, zip ties, metal straps, etc
-
Mobile - Christmas Tree Recycling from December 26 through the mid-January from 7 am to
5pm (Daily). Drop off your unwanted Christmas tree for FREE. All
trees must be free of lights, stands, and decorations.
Here are
the Drop-off Locations:
Drop-off Locations
Lake Drive Tricentennial Park - 2121 Lake Drive
James Seals Park - 540 Texas St
Baumhauer-Randle
Park - 1909 Duval St., Mobile
Dog River Park - 2459 Dog River Drive N.
Pinehill Recycling Center - 308 Pinehill Dr.
Medal of Honor Park
- 1711 Hillcrest Rd.
Langan Park (Municipal Park) - 4901 Zeigler Blvd
For more information email
[email protected].
Trees are chipped and the mulch generated is
available for public use beginning in January. Flocked trees will
not be accepted. For questions, please contact Keep Mobile Beautiful
at 251-208-6029. Holiday lights can be recycled at the Metro
Recycling Center. Lights collected at the center are donated to the
Master Gardeners for various community garden projects! Take your tree to any of the following locations:
Parkway Plaza -- 2655 Dauphin Island Parkway
2501 Government
Boulevard -- in front of Food World
Wildwood Shopping Center --
4055 Cottage Hill west of Azalea
Airport at University -- behind
the BP Station
Westwood Plaza -- Airport at Schillinger
Park
Forest Center -- Moffet at Forest Hill Drive
-
Montgomery
- There is curbside tree collection for residents, Trees placed by the curb or road will be taken to the landfill and will not be recycled. For more
information, please call (334) 625-2175.
They NO LONGER have the drop off for recycling.
-
Mountain Brook - Drop off natural Christmas trees
(free of decorations) at the zoo's picnic area next to the parking
lot during normal business hours, December 26th through January 6th.
The trees will be turned into mulch for use at the zoo. Note that
trees left at curbside will not be recycled. This is a partnership
between the Mountain Brook Tree Commission and the Birmingham Zoo.
-
Prattville -
Curbside - trees placed on the curb will be collected and then mulched to be used in city landscape projects.
Remove all decorations.
Drop-off - Natural Christmas trees can be dropped at the public works department's administrative building at 530
Doster Road, downtown
-
Tuscaloosa
- Each year, the city of Tuscaloosa Environmental Services Department
hosts a Christmas Tree Recycling Event. There is squat on their
website this year about (don't you just love government?) but
they'll probably do the same this year. Real Christmas trees, along
with real garland and wreaths, can be dropped off during the two
weeks following Christmas at the City's Environmental Services
Department at 3440 Kauloosa Aveue Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. The trees,
garland and wreaths are mulched by a local business and used in a
multitude of projects including mulched landscaping applications,
erosion control, and bio fuels for wood-burning boilers. Christmas
trees, garland and wreaths must be stripped of all decorations.
Artificial trees, artificial wreaths and artificial garland will not
be accepted. For questions, please contact the Environmental
Services Dept. at 205-248-4900 or email
[email protected]
- Shelby County-County citizens can drop off
their trees for recycling on December 26 through the first week in
January at the following locations:
Pelham City Park (off US 31
in Pelham)
Ray Building (off Alabama 70 in Columbiana)
Chelsea
City Hall
Heardmont Park on U.S. 119
Propst Alabaster LLC
(formerly Colonial Properties Alabaster, at the end of the AmStar
Theater parking lot)
All drop areas are located in parking lots
and designated with orange traffic cones and signs.
- Vestavia - Decoration free, natural Christmas
trees can be dropped off at Scout Square (The Christmas Tree Lot)
right off of Highway 31 in Vestavia. Donated trees are used as fish
habitats in the lakes on the properties of Alabama Power.
