What do you do with your Christmas tree once the holiday is over?
For those with artificial trees, it’s as easy as sticking back in the closet. But if you took home a natural Christmas tree this holiday season, Denver is opening recycling centers across the city to give those trees a second life — as mulch.
Beginning Jan. 2, Denver residents can recycle their Christmas trees at 11 drop-off sites across the city, as long as all decorations, lights and tree stands are removed first, according to a Wednesday news release from the city.
On weekdays from Jan. 2 to Jan. 31, residents can recycle their trees at the Cherry Creek Transfer Station (7301 E. Jewell Ave.), Havana Nursery (10450 Smith Road) and Central Platte Campus (1271 W. Bayaud Ave.) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you wait until Saturday, you can choose from eight locations, also open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
Sloan’s Lake Northwest Parking Lot (West Byron Place and Yates Street)
Bruce Randolph (East 40th Avenue and Steele Street)
Fred Thomas Park (2400 Quebec St.)
Evie Dennis School Campus (4800 Telluride St.)
Central Platte Campus (1271 West Bayaud Ave.)
Carson Elementary (5420 1st Ave.)
Kennedy High School (Newland Street and Brown Place)
Slavens Elementary (3000 South Clayton St.)
Trees brought to Treecycle drop sites will be turned into mulch available to Denver residents for free at the city’s annual Mulch Giveaway in the spring, the release stated.
Residents who can’t make it to a drop site can set their tree out for trash collection on their large item pickup day, according to the release. Trees left out for large item pickup will not be turned into mulch.
Denver residents also still have a few more days to recycle broken or burned-out holiday lights as they pull them down from their roofs and trees. Two centers take them for free: the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-Off and Blue Star Recyclers.
The Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-Off (South Quebec Street and East Cherry Creek South Drive) will be open until 5 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Blue Star Recyclers (953 Decatur St.) is closed through the new year, but will reopen Jan. 2 for drop-off.
Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.
