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South Florida residents encouraged to recycle Christmas trees

CBS News Live
CBS News Miami Live

MIAMI - Now that Christmas has come and gone, many people are planning to keep their trees up through New Year's Day and then take them down.

To dispose of trees, there is always curbside pickup. But Miami-Dade and Broward counties are encouraging residents to participate in their respective Christmas tree recycling programs.

In Miami-Dade, people can drop off clean, decoration-free trees at one of the below Trash and Recycling Centers, which are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.:

North Dade
21500 NW 47 Avenue

Norwood
19901 NW 7th Avenue

Palm Springs North
7870 NW 178 Street

Golden Glades
140 NW 160 Street

West Little River
1830 NW 79 Street

Snapper Creek 
2200 SW 117 Avenue

Sunset Kendall
 8000 SW 107 Avenue

West Perrine
16651 SW 107 Avenue

Eureka Drive
9401 SW 184 Street

South Miami Heights
 20800 SW 117 Court

Moody Drive
12970 SW 268 Street

Trees can also be dropped off at the Home Chemical Collection Center, 8801 NW 58 Street in West Miami-Dade. It's open Wednesday to Sunday for tree drop-off only, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

This service is for residents who receive waste collection services from Miami-Dade County only.

The trees will be turned into mulch which will be available beginning in spring 2025. Sign up to be notified when the mulch is ready. Residents are reminded to bring a shovel and bags or pails to take away the material.

Residents who are unable to drop off their Christmas tree can place it at the curbside. Crews will collect Christmas trees from the curbside beginning Wednesday, Jan. 8. This year trees will be collected throughout the service area during two sweeps. Do not place whole trees or cut-up trees in the green garbage carts or blue recycling carts.

First Christmas Tree Collection Sweep: Jan. 8 - 19
Trees will be collected on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays

Final Christmas Tree Collection Sweep: Jan. 22 - Feb. 2
Trees will be collected on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays

Trees placed at the curbside as part of a scheduled bulky waste pickup will not be recycled into mulch.

For more information, click here.

In Broward, you can recycle your three through the county's annual Chip-a-Tree initiative. Every year Broward County Parks recycles thousands of trees, most of which probably would otherwise have gone to landfills. The trees will be chipped and used for landscaping throughout the county park system.

To recycle your tree, you can take it to one of the following locations before Jan. 20, no decorated trees will be accepted. There is a limit of two trees per vehicle, artificial trees are not accepted, and no commercial vehicles or garbage trucks are allowed.

(Hours vary, you are encouraged to call the park of your choice for details.)

Park locations are:

Brian Piccolo Sports Park & Velodrome
9501 Sheridan Street, Cooper City (954) 357-5150

C.B. Smith Park
900 N. Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines (954) 357-5170

Easterlin Park
1000 NW 38 Street, Oakland Park (954) 357-5190

Fern Forest Nature Center
201 Lyons Road South, Coconut Creek (954) 357-5198

Markham Park and Target Range
16001 W State Road 84, Sunrise (954)  357-8868

Reverend Samuel Delevoe Memorial Park
2520 NW 6 Street, Fort Lauderdale (954) 357-8801

Snake Warrior's Island Natural Area
3600 SW 62 Avenue, Miramar (954) 357-8776

Tradewinds Park and Stables
3600 W Sample Road, Coconut Creek (954) 357-8870

Tree Tops Park
3900 SW 100 Avenue, Davie (954) 357-5130

Topeekeegee (T.Y.) Park
3300 N Park Road, Hollywood (954) 357-8811

Vista View Park
4001 SW 142 Avenue, Davie (954) 357-8898

West Lake Park
1200 Sheridan Street, Hollywood (954) 357-5161

Curbside pick-up varies by city and contracted waste disposal company. Usually, they pick up in the first two weeks of January.

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