Pittsburgh opening 11 locations for Christmas tree recycling
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh is opening nearly a dozen sites where residents can drop off their trees to be recycled into mulch that will be available to the public for free in the spring.
The city will open 11 drop-off locations from Dec. 26 to Jan. 26 as part of its annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program, which encourages residents to recycle their trees instead of putting them out on the curb, where they end up in the landfill.
Before dropping your tree off, the city asks that you remove all ornaments, netting, tinsel, lights and tree stands.
The city is also partnering with Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops for curbside pick-up services in January. For a small donation, the city says residents can put their trees outside, and the troops will collect and transport them to one of the 11 drop-off locations.
Last year, the city says it collected over 2,300 trees, which were chipped into pine mulch that was given back to residents. This year, the mulch will be available on April 19 and April 26 — or until supplies last — at 7370 Baker Street, which is the Pittsburgh Zoo's overflow parking lot.
If you don't want to recycle your tree, you can still leave it on the curb for the city's year-round yard waste collection services.
More information about the Christmas Tree Recycling Program, including a list of locations and more about pick-ups from troops, can be found on the city's website.