Where to Recycle Your Living Christmas Tree

While today you are supposed to watch the needles fall off your Christmas tree, don’t keep it inside too much longer. Take off the ornaments and set it outside till it’s time to recycle.  Thanks to Keep Killeen Beautiful you can take your bare tree to the Special Events Center, 3301 S. W.S. Young Drive, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 4.  Trees must be free of ornaments, tinsel, lights and other decorations.

The trees will be mulched on-site with a wood chipper, and you get the mulch if you want it. If you don’t, the mulch will be used in local parks.

And remember your excess holiday trash can be placed curbside in plastic bags no larger than 33 gallons by 7 a.m. on the first collection day after Christmas. For some of you that date has already passed. But if your garbage is collected on Tuesday like mine is, then this Tuesday (Dec 31), we set out the extra bags.

The Fort Hood Recycle Center is accepting Christmas trees, holiday lights, wrapping paper, gift boxes and bags for recycling, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Jan. 6.

Fort Hood will take your bare trees to the Killeen Special Events Center to be mulched.

Copperas Cove residents just have to leave the tree at the curb, it will be picked up on designated trash days. The trees will be turned into compost,  available for purchase at the solid waste facility. Cost is $8.50 for 12 cubic yards. Residents should bring their own tools and storage containers for loading and transporting the mulch..

In Temple, Temple Parks and Leisure Services and the Temple Tree Board will mulch up the Christmas tree.  On Saturday, January 4 and Saturday, January 11 from 9:00 am to noon, people can recycle their living Christmas trees by bringing them to the Gober Party House (1516 West Avenue H) in Temple.

The trees, free of decorations, will be chipped into mulch.  Take the mulch home or donate it to the Temple parks system. The first 150 participants will also receive a free seedling tree from Temple Parks and Leisure Services.

For more information about Christmas tree recycling in Temple , you can call 254-298-5690.