Contra Costa County, California: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

Scroll down this page for local Contra Costa 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 ofteny made available, free to city or county residents.

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!

Contra Costa County, California: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

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.

Most offer curbside pick of your Christmas tree on regular collection days. Check with their website to see if there are any specific requirements, or an early deadline.  Most pickup the first 2 full weeks in January.

The curbside pick up is for natural trees only and you must remove all decorations, lights and the tree stand; but if you need an artificial tree, or electronics, etc picked up check on their website.

Contra Costa County, California Christmas Tree Recycling Programs

Most areas in Contra Costa County provide recycling of yard trimmings year-round. Many curbside yard waste programs accept Christmas Trees for recycling during the holiday season.

For your specific area, see below for your waste hauler, and see their website or call.

• Alamo - Alamo, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
• Antioch - Antioch, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711. Boy Scouts may still be collecting trees; contact [email protected].
• Bay Point - Bay Point, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
• Blackhawk - Blackhawk, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
• Brentwood - Brentwood, CA. Curbside pickup by Brentwood Disposal Service. Phone: (925) 634-1123.
  Brentwood, CA. Curbside pickup by City of Brentwood Solid Waste Division. Phone: (925) 516-6090.
• Byron - Byron, CA. Curbside pickup by Brentwood Disposal Service. Phone: (925) 634-1123.
• Clayton - Clayton, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711. Curbside pickup: Call republic Services customer service at (925) 685-4711.
• Clyde - Clyde, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
• Concord - Concord, CA. Curbside pickup by Concord Disposal Service. Phone: (925) 682-9113.
  Teen Challenge Thrift Store, 3437 Chestnut Ave., 94518. Phone: (888) 339-3193.
• Crockett - Crockett, CA. Curbside pickup by Crockett Garbage Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Danville - Danville, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
• Diablo - Diablo, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
• Discovery Bay - Discovery Bay, CA. Curbside pickup by Discovery Bay Disposal Service. Phone: (925) 634-3099.
• East Richmond Heights - East Richmond Heights, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• El Cerrito - El Cerrito, CA. Curbside pickup by City of El Cerrito Recycling. Phone: (510) 215-4350.
• El Sobrante - El Sobrante, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Hercules - Hercules, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Kensington - Kensington, CA. Curbside pickup by Bay View Refuse and Recycling. Phone: (510) 237-4614.
• Knightsen - Knightsen, CA. Curbside pickup by Brentwood Disposal Service. Phone: (925) 634-1123.
• Lafayette - Lafayette, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
• Lynwood - Lynwood, CA. Curbside pickup For the two weeks after Christmas (December 26, 2020 - January 12, 2021), you can place your tree curbside on your regular trash collection day and crews will pick it up. All decorations must be removed. Flocked trees are accepted. Plastic or wooden bases must be removed. Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half. Do not place your tree in a bag. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Hernandez in Public Works at (310) 603-0220 ext. 827
• Martinez - Martinez, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
• Montalvin Manor - Montalvin Manor, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Moraga - Moraga, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
• Mt. View - Mt. View, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
• North Richmond - North Richmond, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Oakland - Oakland Museum - White Elephant Sale, 333 Lancaster St.,. Phone: (510) 536-6800.
• Oakley - Bethel Island, CA. Curbside pickup by Brentwood Disposal Service, 3231 Main St., 94561. Phone: (925) 757-7660.
  Oakley, CA. Curbside pickup by Oakley Disposal Service. Phone: (925) 757-7660.
• Orinda - Orinda, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
• Pacheco - Pacheco, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
• Pinole - Pinole, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Pittsburg - Bay Point, CA. Curbside pickup by Pittsburg Disposal Service, 981 Railroad Ave., 94565. Phone: (925) 432-6262.
  Pittsburg, CA. Curbside pickup by Pittsburg Disposal Service. Phone: (925) 432-6262.
• Pleasant Hill - Pleasant Hill BART, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.
  Pleasant Hill, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
  Republic Services Curbside pickup: Unflocked trees will be picked up, CA. Curbside pickup by Call customer service at (925) 685-4711.
• Port Costa - Port Costa, CA. Curbside pickup by Crockett Garbage Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Richmond - Bay View, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service, 3260 Blume Drive, Ste. 100, 94806. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
  Richmond, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Rodeo - Rodeo, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Rollingwood - Rollingwood, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• San Pablo - San Pablo, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• San Ramon - San Ramon, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 837-3356.
• Tara Hills - Tara Hills, CA. Curbside pickup by Richmond Sanitary Service. Phone: (510) 262-7100.
• Tassajara - Tassajara, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
• Vine Hill - Vine Hill, CA. Curbside pickup by Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 685-4711.
• Walnut Creek - Walnut Creek, CA. Curbside pickup by Valley Waste Management (VWM) and Allied Waste. Phone: (925) 935-8900.

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 $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.

Contra Costa County (complete city - by city listing)