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Once the presents have been opened and the holiday festivities are over, your live Christmas tree might be wilting in a corner of your living room. Consider these easy options for disposing and recycling of your tree through local municipalities.
City of St. Louis
The City offers Christmas tree recycling at three locations–Forest Park, O'Fallon Park, and Carondelet Park–from December 27 through January 10. Drop off your bare tree, no trash bag or covering necessary, at no fee during park hours. The trees will be recycled into mulch and made available to city residents at the same sites.Wreaths and pine roping are not accepted.
Here are the specific drop spots:
Forest Park: Lower Muny parking lot (off Theatre Drive)
O'Fallon Park: Recreation Complex (YMCA) Southwest corner of parking lot
Carondelet Park: Grand and Holly Hills (area between gate next to mulch piles)
Be sure to confirm hours of operation as the drop-off area is behind the gate:
Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sundays, closed
St. Louis County
Saint Louis County Parks has teamed up with the Missouri Department of Conservation again this year to put retired trees to good use. The MDC will lower some trees into Spanish Lake to create fish habitats while others will be turned into mulch. Only trees from residential homes are accepted. Drop off undecorated, natural Christmas trees at one of four park locations from December 20 until the end of the day on January 15.
Locations include:
Spanish Lake: Main parking lot by the lake
Creve Coeur Lake: Sail Boat Cove parking lot
Queeny Park: Corporate parking lot off Weidman near the Complex
Bee Tree Park: Lake parking lot
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St. Charles City
The City of St. Charles offers free recycling of live Christmas trees throughout the first two weeks of January on regularly scheduled yard waste days of the week. Trees must be free of lights, decorations, and bags. Trees more than six feet tall should be cut in half prior to being placed at the curbside. For questions, contact your local Republic Services customer service representative at 636-255-6142 (Monday through Friday) or 636-947-5959 (Saturday).
St. Charles County
St. Charles County Department of Public Health provides drop-off sites for natural Christmas trees at its Recycle Works locations in St. Charles (60 Triad South Drive) and Wentzville (2110 East Pitman Avenue). Undecorated trees should be brought to either Recycle Works location December 27 through January 7 (except Jan. 1 and 2), between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 636-949-1800.
Ballwin
Christmas trees will be collected with regular yard waste pickup at no additional charge. The tree must be free of decorations including tinsel, garland, ornaments, and lights as well as cut shorter than six feet in length.
Chesterfield
Republic Services will pick up Christmas trees for the first week in January for all single-family residences. No yard waste service required. Trees must be free of all décor, cut into four-foot sections or less, and placed at the curb.
Clayton
Christmas trees are picked up at the curb on regularly scheduled yard waste collection days through the month of January. All trees six feet and taller must be cut in half. After January 31, trees must be cut into four by four feet bundles tied and left for regular pick up in the rear of your home.
Crestwood
Real trees will be collected on regular yard waste pickup dates providing the tree is free of decorations including tinsel, garland, ornaments, and lights.
Creve Coeur
Yard waste, including live Christmas trees, is collected at the curb on your regular trash day. Christmas trees must be cut into four-foot sections and free of lights and decorations. Place cut Christmas trees at the curb to be collected on your regularly scheduled pick up day for yard waste.
Ferguson
The City of Ferguson offers tree recycling after the holiday at its Christmas Tree Drop Off Site, located at the Forestwood Sports Complex, 825 Ferguson Ave. from December 26 through January 31.
Florissant
The City of Florissant’s Christmas Tree Disposal Program includes curbside pick-up of real Christmas trees during the holiday season and through the month of January free of charge to Florissant residents, regardless if they have weekly yard waste service. Place your tree at the curb on the day of regular yard waste pick-up for your neighborhood. Trees must be free of garland, tinsel, lights, and ornaments. If the tree is taller than six feet, it must be cut in half. Additionally, non-functioning holiday lights may be disposed of at the Health Department building in St. Ferdinand Park. There will be a large tote outside of the building to dispose of lights for recycling until January 13, 2023.
Glendale
Christmas trees will be collected on regular yard waste collection days at no additional charge. The tree must be free of decorations and not exceed six feet in length. Do not use plastic tree bags as plastic cannot be mixed with yard waste.
Kirkwood
Christmas trees are collected January 1 to 31 on scheduled waste collection days. Place the tree at the curb by 6 a.m., unwrapped and free of lights, ornaments, tinsel, and garland. Do not place them in a plastic bag.
Ladue
Beginning the second week of January, the City of Ladue will collect residents’ Christmas trees when placed at the curb on regular pickup days. Remove ornaments and décor. This collection does not include garland and wreaths.
University City
Curbside pick up of Christmas trees occurs during the first two weeks of January on regular collection days with lights and decorations removed.
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Webster Groves
Whole Christmas trees will be collected at the curb during the months of December and January on regularly scheduled yard waste collection days. Beginning in February, residents will need to attach a yard waste sticker to their tree when placing it for collection. In addition, The Webster Groves Sustainability Commission is gathering broken holiday lights for recycling. Drop off for lights is at the Recreation Complex at 33 E. Glendale during regular business hours or at the Public Works building 145 E. Waymire (near the wood pile).
Wildwood
Scheduled pick up of Christmas trees, January 1 to January 29, is free to all Wildwood residents. Schedule yours by calling Waste Connections..
