That once-proud Christmas tree that brightened the winter holiday can be recycled to help flowers grow this spring.
Trees can be recycled into compost or mulch after they are collected from homes or delivered to transfer stations or other facilities.
Here is what you can do to recycle your tree:
Port Angeles
Christmas trees are being picked up this week in residential neighborhoods through Saturday.
For curbside pickup, all decorations must be removed and trees must be cut into 4-foot lengths.
The trees become city compost.
Recycled trees are mixed with other yard debris and made into Garden Glory Compost.
The city sells the compost for $20 a cubic yard for lots of 1 to 3 yards — less per cubic yard for larger lots.
Clallam County
County residents can dispose of trees from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays in the composting facility of the Regional Transfer Station at 3501 W. 18th St., for a minimum charge of $5.
Trees need to be cleaned of decorations, flocking and tinsel.
They do not need to be cut into pieces.
Port Townsend
Within the city of Port Townsend, customers of DM Disposal’s yard waste service can place their trees out for regular yard waste pickup through Saturday as well as from Jan. 15-19 for no additional cost.
Trees will be recycled into mulch.
If the tree is more than 4 feet tall, it must be cut into smaller sections for pickup.
Trees with flocking or tinsel will be taken as garbage, and customers will be charged extra accordingly.
Jefferson County
For a fee of $5, county residents can take trees to the yard waste drop-off and compost purchase area of the Jefferson County Transfer Station on South Jacob Miller Road off state Highway 20.
The yard waste disposal area is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, except holidays.
Trees need to be clean. All tinsel, ornaments and wooden stands must be removed prior to recycling. The trees will be ground up and made into compost.
Flocked trees will go into the garbage rather than the recycling facility. The fee to dispose of flocked trees is $10.
Sequim
Sequim Boy Scout Troop 1498 will provide pick-up service for recycling trees in the Sequim and Port Angeles area.
The service will be provided Saturday for a suggested donation of $15.
Call Sue at 360-775-8074 to schedule the service.
Agnew
There’s another option for Port Angeles and Sequim-area residents who don’t want to wait for curbside pickup or who live outside the city limits.
Lazy J Tree Farm offers free tree recycling for any and all trees, not just those that were purchased at the tree farm.
Trees don’t have to be cut up. They do need to have all decorations removed and be delivered to the farm at 225 Gehrke Road in Agnew, off Old Olympic Highway between Port Angeles and Sequim.
The trees are ground and made into compost, which can be purchased at the farm.
For more information, see www.lazyjtreefarms.com.
Forks
In Forks, West Waste & Recycling Inc. will pick up trees with regular curbside trash service for a fee of $2 to $5 depending upon the size of the tree.
Or residents can drop off trees at West Waste & Recycling transfer station at 272 La Push Road between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Clean trees — those without decorations, flocking or tinsel — can be recycled for free. If they are not clean, a fee of between $2 to $5 will be charged.
