AUSTIN — When the holidays are all said and done, when the lights are all out and the decorations have all been tucked carefully away, your tree is still silently hoping for another Christmas miracle: To not get tossed headfirst into the dumpster.
You now have the power to grant one last holiday wish! And you even have a few options.
City of Austin residents can give their natural trees a second chance at life by recycling them into mulch or compost. Doing so helps to keep 20,000 trees out of area landfills annually, which adds to the City's goal of reaching zero waste by 2040.
Additionally, City of Austin curbside customers can simply just place their Christmas tree on the curb starting on Dec. 26. Austin Resource Recovery will then begin picking up all natural trees, along with yard trimmings, on regularly scheduled collection days.
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Please note that if you'd like to go with that option, trees must be placed at the curb by 6:30 a.m. Also, if your tree is taller than six feet, it must be cut in half. These trees will be composted or turned into "Dillo Dirt," compost made by the City of Austin.
Residents can also drop their trees off at the Zilker Park Polo Fields between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the following days:
- Saturday, Jan. 5
- Sunday, Jan. 6
Austinintes can also donate their cleaned off trees and live decor to the Texas Disposal System at the following locations:
- TDS & Garden-Ville Bee Cave
- Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Location: 4001 RR 620 S. Bee Cave
- TDS & Garden-Ville Georgetown
- Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Location: 250 W.L. Walden Dri. Georgetown
Other locations include (last day for drop off is Jan. 7):
- Travis County Softball Complex (next to jail)
Del Valle 78617
Cedar Park, TX 78613
Austin, TX 78724
A location in Round Rock is Whittlesey landscape supplies at:
- 3219 S IH 35 Round Rock, Texas 78664
- Their website says they charge $5 a tree
The City of Austin also provided the following guidelines for Christmas tree recycling:
- Trees sprayed with flocking, or artificial snow, are not accepted
- Remove all ornaments, decorations, lights and the tree stand
- Do not place the tree in a tree bag
- Only natural trees may be recycled
If you'd like to receive some of the mulch collected at the drop-off collection, it will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on Thursday, Jan. 17.
For more information, click here.