Recycle Your Christmas Tree!

The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department will host the 42nd Annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program beginning Saturday, December 26, 2015 and running through Saturday, January 23, 2016.  This year’s program offers 16 drop-off locations, available to City residents only, as well as curbside pickup for customers with curbside yard waste collection.

“Christmas tree recycling is a great way for San Diegans to do their part to help the environment by extending the life of the Miramar Landfill,” said Mario X. Sierra, director of the Environmental Services Department.  “Organic materials like yard clippings and Christmas trees make up more than 20 percent of the material buried in the landfill.  By recycling trees, residents help reduce the amount of material in the landfill and give holiday trees a new purpose as compost, mulch or wood chips.”

Beginning December 26 and continuing through January 23, 2016, San Diego residents can recycle their Christmas trees seven days-a-week at the Miramar Landfill Greenery or any of the 16 drop-off locations listed below at no charge. Only “clean trees” are accepted at city recycling locations. Residents must remove all tree stands, lights, ornaments, tinsel, and non-recyclable materials.  Please do not illegally dump any other items at the drop-off locations. Leftover trees from commercial tree lots or fundraising projects are not accepted at the drop-off locations. Instead, these trees can be dropped off anytime during regular business hours at the Miramar Greenery for a nominal fee.

In addition to clean trees, flocked trees (fake snow) are also accepted.  If you are transporting your Christmas tree in a plastic bag for drop-off, please be sure to remove the tree and take the bag with you. All trees will be recycled into high quality mulch and compost. Thanks in part to the Christmas Tree Recycling Program, City residents can self-load mulch and up to two cubic yards of compost for free at the Miramar Greenery throughout the year.

Curbside yard waste recycling customers can also recycle trees through the curbside collection program by placing trees at the curb with their regular yard waste recycling bin.  Customers with automated greenery containers must cut up their clean trees into roughly 3-foot pieces to fit easily inside their greenery container.  Customers who are unable to cut their trees for manual collection or who cannot fit the tree into the green automated container, should drop off their tree at any of the City’s convenient drop-off locations. Curbside recycling program customers should remove all non-recyclable materials before placing trees inside the automated bin or at the curb next to yard waste collection containers.

Following is a list of the City’s drop-off locations for the 42nd Annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program that are closest to Clairemont/Bay Park:

• La Jolla: Kate Sessions Memorial Park, Soledad Road and Loring Street.
• Miramar: Miramar Landfill at Greenery, Convoy St. north of Highway 52.
• Mission Bay: SeaWorld Drive at Pacific Highway.
• Ocean Beach: Robb Athletic Field Recreation Center, 2525 Bacon Street.
• University City: Swanson Pool, 3585 Governor Drive.

For the complete list of all city locations click here. 

   
The Miramar Greenery is located inside the Miramar Landfill, at 5180 Convoy Street, just north of Highway 52.  Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays and most holidays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The Landfill will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Additional information about the residential drop-off site locations is available by calling Environmental Services Department Customer Service at 858-694-7000.  For information on mulch and compost produced at the Miramar Greenery, call the Miramar Landfill at 858-492-6100.

The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department is charged with refuse collection and disposal, recycling and environmentally-sound landfill management to meet the City’s long-term disposal needs. For more information on recycling and the Environmental Services Department, call 858-694-7000 or visit our web site at www.recyclingworks.com .