Wondering how to dispose of your artificial Christmas Tree?

Thomas F. O'Mara

December 28, 2018

There are several options for disposing of, recycling, or reusing an artificial Christmas Tree.
If you are wondering, like I was, how best to dispose of an artificial Christmas Tree, I hope the general information below can be helpful.

There are several options.

You can contact your waste management service to coordinate the disposal of your tree as part of your regular waste stream.  Each service and hauler will have their own standards on what is acceptable to transport, so call ahead for details and to make arrangements before leaving it curbside.  In this case, trees will likely end up in landfills.

Following is contact information for obtaining waste and recycling instructions in the five counties comprising the 58th Senate District:

CHEMUNG COUNTY: Chemung Landfill, (607)-737-2980

SCHUYLER COUNTY: Schuyler County Planning Department, (607)-535-8193

STEUBEN COUNTY: Steuben County Solid Waste & Recycling, (607)-664-2476

TOMPKINS COUNTY: Tompkins County Recycling & Waste Center, (607)-273-6632

YATES COUNTY: Cardinal Disposal, (607)-243-8134; Cassella, (315)-781-6525; K&D Disposal, (315)-331-3889. 

ANYONE hoping that a tree can be reused can contact any of the scrap metal and recycling companies located throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions.  Some of these companies are listed below:  

> Kaplan's Scrapyard Inc., 104 E Woodlawn Ave, Elmira, NY 14901,  (607)-733-6531

> B&B Recycling, 3898 Tinney Rd, Penn Yan, NY 14527, (315)-536-6855

> Teets & Son Scrap Metal Recycling, 738 Black Oak Rd, Newfield, NY 14867, (607)-272-1908

> Swarthout Recycling Services, 1514 Co Rte 19, Beaver Dams, NY 14812,  (607)-936-4998

FINALLY (and perhaps most importantly), for trees that remain in good shape it's more than worth it to explore donating it to a local charity, nursing home, hospital, school, shelter, or other community organization.  Many organizations are in need of trees around the holidays for their own celebrations, to decorate their own facilities, or to donate to a family in need.

My very best wishes for a safe and successful New Year.

Sincerely,

NYS Senator Tom O’Mara, District 58