Christmas Trees

Each year, 10 million Christmas trees end up in the landfill. Your tree doesn't belong in curbside recycling with your metal cans, mixed paper, and bottles but you can still recycle your tree. 

Live Trees

After the holiday, many communities in Cuyahoga County offer a service to turn your live Christmas tree into mulch or wood chips. Contact your city service department or waste hauler for details.

Your undecorated tree can be placed in your backyard as shelter or food for wildlife. As the tree naturally decomposes, it will provide habitat and add nutrients to the soil. If you have a private pond or lake on your property, undecorated trees can be submerged in the water to provide hiding spaces for fish and other animals. Learn more about using Christmas trees for wildlife habitat from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Local farms or homesteads might accept Christmas trees as animal feed; check with the farm before delivering your tree. For the safety of the animals, all decorations, tinsel, ornaments, and lights must be removed.
 

Local compost and yard waste facilities in Cuyahoga County accept trees and yard waste for recycling. You can also have it chipped for ground cover.

Christmas trees may be recycled at select Lake Metroparks and Summit Metro Parks locations. Check with the local park district.
 

Artificial Trees

Artificial trees cannot be recycled. If an artificial tree is no longer usable, it should be placed in the regular trash for disposal. If the tree is pre-lit, the light strings can be removed from the tree and recycled through a holiday lights recycling program.

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Looking to recycle, donate, or dispose of other items? Use the dark blue 'What Do I Do With?' search bar at the top of every page of this website. Allow location services or use the city drop-down to find opportunities in your local area.