North Texas cities roll out Christmas tree recycling options after the holidays

Cities across Dallas–Fort Worth are offering residents multiple ways to recycle real Christmas trees as the holiday season wraps up.
Cities across Dallas–Fort Worth are offering residents multiple ways to recycle real Christmas trees as the holiday season wraps up. Photo credit Liudmyla Lazoryshyna/Getty

Cities across Dallas–Fort Worth are offering residents multiple ways to recycle real Christmas trees as the holiday season wraps up.

Beginning this week and continuing into early January, local governments are providing drop-off sites and scheduled yard-waste collection to keep trees out of landfills.

In Dallas, residents can take undecorated trees to designated transfer stations or the McCommas Bluff Landfill, where they are ground into mulch. City officials remind residents to remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel, stands, and plastic netting before drop-off or curbside placement.

Fort Worth and many surrounding cities are also accepting real trees through brush and yard-waste programs or at environmental collection centers. Specific rules and pickup dates vary by city, but most require trees to be free of non-organic materials and placed according to local collection schedules.

Artificial trees are generally not accepted in recycling programs and must be disposed of through regular trash or bulky-item services, depending on city guidelines. Residents are encouraged to check their city’s sanitation page for exact dates, locations, and requirements.

Dallas

Options: set out with regular brush/bulky pickup, or drop off at the city landfill or transfer stations (Dec. 26 through Jan. 24 per the city-linked roundup).

Irving

“Christmas Tree Roundup” drop-offs: Cottonwood Creek Park, Hunter Ferrell Landfill, Los Colinas Service Center, or Southwest Park (Dec. 26 through Jan. 11). Trees set out with brush/bulky get collected but not recycled.

Garland

Drop off at C.M. Hinton Jr. Regional Landfill or set out for brush collection (remove decorations, stand, and any plastic).

Grand Prairie

Drop-off recycling: Ikea or the Grand Prairie Landfill (Dec. 26 through Jan. 11); mulch available for Grand Prairie residents at the landfill.

Fort Worth

Set out with yard trimmings collection (remove tinsel, lights, decorations, stands, plastic).

Arlington

Set natural trees (up to 6 feet) out for regular trash collection through the second Friday of the new year; after that, cut into 4-foot bundles and set out as yard waste.

Plano

Drop-offs (Dec. 26 through Jan. 3): Old Shepard Place Park, Russell Creek Park, or Schell Park; no flocked trees or fake snow.

Frisco

Set out on your regular trash day (unbagged, 3 feet from carts; remove decorations). Also accepts drop-offs at the Frisco Environmental Collection Center; large trees must be cut down to size/weight limits.

McKinney

Curbside composting pickup by Frontier Waste Solutions (Dec. 26 through Jan. 16) on regular trash days; apartment drop-offs at Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Fields or Gabe Nesbitt Park.

Denton

Set out for brush collection (cut if over 6 feet), or drop off at the City of Denton Landfill.

Quick rules that apply almost everywhere

Real trees only. Remove lights, ornaments, tinsel, stands, hooks, and plastic netting or bags.

Flocked trees (fake snow) are often not accepted for recycling.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Liudmyla Lazoryshyna/Getty