Free Christmas Tree Recycling: What Towns Offer for Free
Find free drop-off sites and curbside dates that turn bare trees into mulch or compost in listed towns.
Several towns offer free Christmas-tree recycling through drop-off sites or curbside pickup. These programs accept stripped natural trees and turn them into mulch or compost instead of trash. Christmas-tree recycling means a city collects bare evergreens separately so they can be chipped, shredded, or composted.
Each town sets its own dates, residency rules, and prep steps.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 03, 2026.
Where can you drop off a tree for free?
Arvada, Colorado accepts resident trees at Stenger Sports Complex, at 58th Ave. and Oak St., from Dec. 26, 2026 through Jan.
18, 2027. According to the City of Arvada, residents can also take finished mulch from that site and must load and haul it themselves Arvada's Christmas-tree recycling page. Mesa County, Colorado accepts live trees after Christmas Day through January at its Organic Materials Composting Facility, 3071 Highway 50.
Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and trees are processed into compost. Rochester, New York lets residential customers bring natural holiday trees to city drop-off sites after Christmas through January.
According to the City of Rochester, collected trees are chipped and the mulch is returned free through the Materials Give Back Program on Ferrano Street Rochester's holiday-tree recycling page.
Which towns pick up trees at the curb?
River Falls, Wisconsin offers free curbside pickup on the first three Thursdays in January. The 2026 dates were Jan. 8, 15, and 22, with contractor Waste Management delivering the trees to the city Yard Waste Site.
Westminster, Maryland collects trees curbside every other Monday by scheduled pickup at 410-848-9077. It also accepts drop-off at the Skate Park dumpster from Dec. 29 through March 31.
Philadelphia holds holiday-tree recycling usually for two weeks in January at designated locations and six sanitation convenience centers. Trees left at the curb there are taken as trash, while program trees are composted.
What happens to the recycled trees?
Many programs chip or shred trees for landscape mulch. Westminster shreds collected trees with limbs for use as mulch on city beds and parks. Other cities favor composting.
Mesa County processes trees at its composting facility, while Philadelphia composts trees brought to its program sites. Some cities return the material to residents. Rochester chips trees and gives the resulting mulch back free at its Ferrano Street site.
Arvada also makes mulch available free at its drop-off location for residents to load and haul.
How should you prepare your tree?
Free programs take only stripped natural trees. Remove ornaments, lights, tinsel, nails, wire, and stands. Do not wrap the tree in plastic.
Flocked or artificial trees are generally rejected, as are wreaths and garlands. According to the City of River Falls, residents must place trees curbside unwrapped and cut trees over six feet in half River Falls' Christmas-tree pickup page. A quick check before hauling helps:
- Confirm resident eligibility and program dates
- Remove all decorations and hardware
- Keep flocked, bagged, or artificial trees out
- Follow size and set-out rules, such as cutting tall trees
What should you check before you go?
Dates and access differ by town, so read the city page first. Arvada limits its site to residents and a set winter window. River Falls requires curbside placement on the assigned Thursdays.
Hours and drop points also vary. Mesa County uses set weekday hours at one facility. Philadelphia uses designated January sites plus six sanitation convenience centers.
Call ahead when a pickup needs scheduling. Westminster uses scheduled Monday pickups, so have the address and tree size ready when calling.