Statistics show that almost 30 million Christmas trees are bought every year in preparation for the holidays. This means that when the holidays are over, millions of dried-out trees need to be removed from homes, businesses and other public locations. This is a chance for those who bought real Christmas trees to cut back on holiday waste, and this guide will show the best ways to do that.

How to recycle your live Christmas tree

• All ornaments, lights and tree stands must be removed from the tree before considering how to recycle it. Most programs and recycling centers will not accept the tree with decorations.
• Measure the length of the tree. Many tree-recycling programs and recycling centers have a maximum allowance for how tall the tree can be. If it is too tall, it will have to be cut in half.
• Find out if your curbside recycling program accepts trees in the days and weeks after Christmas. Many areas will collect trees during their regular pickup schedule for a few weeks after the holidays and will have requirements for what is accepted.
• If your curbside recycling program will not take your tree, find out if a drop-off recycling center near you will accept it. You can find a location near you here.
• On the other hand, if you have a yard waste collection program that pairs with your curbside recycling, you could cut the tree into smaller pieces to fit in the yard waste container to be collected.

Another option for being environmentally friendly over the holidays is to buy an artificial Christmas tree that could be used for decades. It can be helpful to read up on the environmental advantages of artificial trees when choosing what kind of tree to pick. It is often difficult to determine the best way to recycle your Christmas tree when the time has come, but learning more about the programs and recycling locations around you that will accept them can make for an easier post-holiday cleanup. To find a Christmas tree recycling location near you, click here.