Los Angeles County, California: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays in December 2025 through January 2026

Scroll down this page for local Los Angeles County, California 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:

• See this page for local options to easily recycle your Christmas holiday lights
• To find out how to recycle almost any other type of Christmas holiday waste from wrapping paper to toys and electronics, see this page. Ornaments and light strings are usually placed into your curbside collection bin. Some localities have year-round collection centers. The same is true of wrapping paper and boxes. 

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!

Los Angeles County, California: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays in December 2025 through January 2026

If you do not find your area below (which is unlikely, this is a fairly comprehensive list), click here to contact your city or county's recycling coordinator directly.

Christmas Tree Recycling Programs Los Angeles California - City and County

• Los Angeles City - The City of LA Bureau of Sanitation has CURBSIDE collection for Christmas trees. If your Christmas tree is too big to cut and place it inside the green waste bin, simply place the tree (stripped of ornaments, etc.) next to your green waste bin on collection day. If you want to use your green bin to recycle Christmas tree:
  REMOVE all ornaments, decorations, tinsels, and stand from the tree
  CUT tree in pieces to fit into the green bin, and
  PLACE the tree pieces inside the green bin for regular pick-up on collection day. Collected Christmas trees will be recycled into compost and mulch.
  Residents of multifamily buildings (Multi-Family Residential Recycling Program Participation (MFRRP)) are requested to place their Christmas trees at the curbside on the collection day in your neighborhood. Whether you are serviced by LA Sanitation or a private hauler, we will pick up your tree on your neighborhood's scheduled collection day. Please remove all ornaments, decorations, tinsel, and the stand from tree. Click this link and enter your address to find the scheduled collection day in your neighborhood. . Please visit our Holiday Collections page for more information or call our 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489. Visit the City website for collection day information . You may also recycle trees by bringing them to one of the drop-off sites operated by the City. Click here for drop-off locations of the City's program as well as more detailed information.
  Recreation and Park locations : Recreation & Park will accept Christmas trees for ONE DAY ONLY (Sunday, January 2, 2022 from 9 AM to 4:00 pm) Some locations will not be open. There will be NO giveaways and we will NOT be accepting holiday wrapping and packaging material at sites. Please remove all ornaments, decorations, tinsels, and stand from tree.:
  
  • Los Angeles Zoo Parking Lot, Griffith Park, junction of Golden State (Interstate 5) and Ventura (State Route 134) Freeways
  • Baldwin Hills: Rancho Cienega Recreation Center, 5001 Rodeo Road
  • Encino: Balboa Sports Center, 17015 Burbank Boulevard
  • Rancho Park: Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, 2551 Motor AvenueSunland Park, 8651 Foothill Boulevard,
  • Westchester Municipal Building, 7166 West Manchester Avenue
  Fire Station Christmas tree drop-off - The fire station locations listed on the this page- will accept Christmas trees until mid-January. They will not be accepting holiday wrapping and packaging material. Please remove all decorations, tinsel and the stand from tree prior to dropping it off. Artificial trees and flocked trees cannot be accepted - please place them in your black bin.
• Los Angeles County area - Many communities in the LA area offer curbside tree recycling. Click the links below for details and information regarding Holiday tree recycling:
  See this page for the master list of cities and details for your area.
  

LA Garbage Disposal Districts (GDDs) and Residential Franchise Areas

For the cities in the table below:

No trees wrapped in plastic. Please remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, nails, plastic containers, and plastic or metal tree stands. No trees wrapped in plastic. The Christmas trees can then be placed at curbside next to the recycling and waste containers on scheduled trash collection day during the time period noted. No artificial trees accepted.

Residential Franchise Area	Collection Dates	Instructions	Waste Hauler	Phone
ALTADENA & KINNELOA MESA	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree at curbside on regular collection day; or the night before. Remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and stands. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted. Please contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Universal Waste Systems Inc.	1-800-631-7016
ATHENS/ WOODCREST /OLIVITA	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree at curb by 6 a.m. on service day. Remove all lights/decorations. Cut trees over 6 ft. in half. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, call to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Republic Services	1-800-299-4898
AVOCADO HEIGHTS	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day. Remove all lights/decorations. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted. Please contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Athens Services	1-888-336-6100
BASSETT / VALINDA	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place Christmas tree at curbside on regular collection day; or the night before. Cut trees over 6ft. in half. No stands, ornaments or flocked trees.	Valley Vista Services	800-442-6454
BELVEDERE	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, call to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Consolidated Disposal	1-800-299-4898
CITRUS	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place Christmas tree at curbside on regular collection day; or the night before. Cut trees over 6ft. in half. No stands, ornaments or flocked trees.	Universal Waste Systems Inc.	1-800-631-7016
EAST CHARTER OAK/FOOTHILL	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree at the curb next to your regular trash receptacle (do not block streets, alleys or sidewalks). Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted. Please contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Ware Disposal	1-877-714-9273
EAST PASADENA/ EAST SAN GABRIEL/ EAST ARCADIA	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree at curbside on regular collection day; or the night before. Cut trees over 6ft. in half. No stands, ornaments or flocked trees accepted.	Burrtec Waste Industries	1-800-325-9417
FLORENCE/ FIRESTONE/ WILLOWBROOK	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day, or night before. No flocked, stands or ornaments, plastic trees/foliage will be accepted. Please call to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Consolidated Disposal Services	1-800-299-4898
HACIENDA HEIGHTS	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place the tree/foliage at the curb next to your regular trash receptacle (do not block streets, alleys or sidewalks). Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted. Please contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Valley Vista Services	1-800-442-6454
LA CRESCENTA/ MONTROSE	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree at curbside on regular collection day; or the night before. Cut trees over 6ft. in half. No stands, ornaments or flocked trees accepted.	Burrtec Waste Industries	1-800-325-9417
LENNOX	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree at curbside on regulsr collection day, next to your regular trash receptacle (do not block streets, alleys or sidewalks). Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Ware Disposal	1-877-714-9273
MALIBU	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day.Trees over 6ft must be cut in half. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, call to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Universal Waste Systems Inc.	1-800-631-7016
MESA HEIGHTS	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day.Trees over 6ft must be cut in half. Flocked, plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, call to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Universal Waste Systems Inc.	1-800-631-7016
ROWLAND HEIGHTS	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day. Trees over 6ft must be cut in half. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Athens Services	1-888-336-6100
SANTA CLARITA	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree at curbside on regular collection day; or the night before. Cut trees over 6ft. in half. No stands, ornaments or flocked trees accepted.	Burrtec Waste Industries	1-866-270-5370
SOUTH SAN GABRIEL	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted. Please contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Universal Waste Systems Inc.	1-800-631-7016
SOUTH/EAST WHITTIER	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day. Trees over 6ft must be cut in half. Plastic trees/foliage, stands, ornaments or flocked trees will not be accepted.	Ware Disposal	1-877-714-9273
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAIN	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day.Trees over 6ft must be cut in half. No stands, ornaments or flocked trees accepted.	Waste Management	1-800-675-1171
SOUTHBAY	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day.Trees over 6ft must be cut in half. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Universal Waste Systems Inc.	1-800-631-7016
WALNUT PARK	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place the tree/foliage at the curb next to your regular trash receptacle (do not block streets, alleys or sidewalks). Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, call to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Consolidated Disposal Service	1-800-299-4898
WEST WHITTIER	12/26/23 - 1/16/24	Place tree by the curb by 6 a.m. on service day.Trees over 6ft must be cut in half. Plastic trees/foliage will not be accepted, contact us to schedule a bulky item pick-up.	Universal Waste Systems	1-800-631-7016

Other areas near Los Angeles:

• Pasadena, CA - The City collected more than 10,000 trees last year for recycling, saving valuable landfill space and generating protective landscaping mulch. Drop off your tree from 7 am to 2 pm., December 26th until January 4th at:
  - Easton Blanche Park, 3100 E. Del Mar Blvd., parking lot on Millicent Way
  - Robinson Park, 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave., parking lot on Morton Street
  From January 2 through the following Friday a week and a half later, (the first 2 weeks of January) residents can also place trees at curbside for recycling. Christmas trees will be collected on your normal service day.Remember, all ornaments, lights and stands must be removed. Flocked and fire retardant treated trees are acceptable. Do not place tree outside for curbside pickup until the morning of your regular service day.
  For more information, call the Citizen Service Center at (626) 744-7311 or online at www.cityofpasaadena.net/publicworks.
  Remember, no bulky pickup now through late January.
• Torrance, CA - Christmas Tree Recycling - Christmas trees six (6) feet or smaller can be placed directly into your green waste container and will be collected during normal collection times. Curbside pick-up for Christmas trees will be available December 27, through mid-Januaryduring normal collection times. Trees must be unflocked (no fake snow), less than six feet long (without cutting), and undecorated (no strands, tinsel, or ornaments). To recycle unflocked Christmas trees curbside, remove all tinsel, ornaments and stands. Trees can be up to six (6) feet long without needing to be cut. Place the tree at the curb at least four feet from your collection containers by 7:00 am on your regularly scheduled collection day between December 27 and mid-January. A separate truck will collect the trees to use as mulch and landfill cover. If Christmas trees are flocked or put out before or after the recycling collection dates, the trees must be cut and placed in the regular trash container for collection. Eco-Friendly Tips! For a more eco-friendly, sustainable Christmas tree option, try a living (potted) Christmas tree at "Living Christmas" a non-profit organization. Note that the city does not endorse specific businesses but provides options to the public. Click here to go to LA County's "Helpful Holiday Hints for Waste Reduction" for tips on holiday waste reduction. For multifamily homes, businesses, and those not serviced by the City of Torrance, please contact your private waste hauler for their recycling program information.

If you miss your free pickup:

California Christmas Tree Recycling - has a service for which you must pay - Click here there to reserve your pick-up online with this easy form. They say they will contact you within 24 hours with a confirmation and price quote. or Call today to book your 4 hour time slot. Los Angeles (310) 584-6589 San Fernando Valley (818) 986-1300 San Diego County (858) 433-0359 Prices start at (Prices may have changed!) $25 and go up with the size of the tree.

• Note about Monterey Pine disposal: take precautions when disposing of your Christmas trees this year to help control the spread of pine pitch canker, an incurable disease that has killed thousands of Monterey pine trees. Pine pitch canker, a fungal disease recently introduced to California, causes dieback and mortality in native and ornamental pine trees. It may also infect Monterey pine Christmas trees. While every attempt is made to sell only disease-free Christmas trees, some trees could harbor the disease without showing symptoms. Since there is no known cure for pitch canker, limiting its spread is the key to prevention. The disease is present in 16 coastal and adjacent inland California counties from Mendocino to San Diego. Bark beetles, which carry the fungus, primarily infest Monterey and Bishop pines but also feed and breed on inland forest trees such as Ponderosa pine. As yet, the disease has not been found in the Sierras. It does not infect humans, pets or other plants.

CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING INFORMATION for the Garbage Disposal Districts (GDDs) and Residential Franchise Areas

No trees wrapped in plastic. Please remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, nails, plastic containers, and plastic or metal tree stands. No trees wrapped in plastic. The Christmas trees can then be placed at curbside next to the recycling and waste containers on scheduled trash collection day during the time period noted. No artificial trees accepted.

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