Properly disposing your Christmas tree in SWFL

If you are like the majority of the world, you are probably finally getting around to taking down your Christmas Tree.

For residents in Southwest Florida, depending on where you live should determine the proper way for you to get rid of this year’s tree.

For residents in Lee County, ​you should remove all tinsel and decorations and place curbside on yard waste pick up day.

For residents in Collier County, single family residences with curbside collection service may place Christmas trees curbside on their regularly scheduled yard waste collection day and the tree will be collected free of charge.  Trees must be free of all decorations including lights, tinsel, ornaments, etc.  Do not wrap trees in plastic.  Trees over six feet in length must be cut in half.

Trees should be placed curbside before 6:00 a.m. on your yard waste collection day (but no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening prior).

Multi-family complexes – those with dumpster and compactor service – contact your property management. Do not place trees in dumpsters or compactors.

Christmas trees may also be taken to one of Collier County’s Recycling Drop-off Centers at no charge.

For residents in Charlotte County, Waste Management of Florida invites residents to recycle their trees through its curbside tree collection program. Residential curbside tree collection will take place the first two weeks following Christmas on customers’ scheduled collection day.

When placing trees on the curb for collection, customers should follow these guidelines:

• Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands, and place your tree on the curb for recycling.
• Place trees that are un-flocked or do not have artificial snow and colorings at the curb.
• Trees taller than six feet must be cut in half.
• Please note that flocked trees with artificial snow cannot be recycled. Your trash collector will collect them.
• Residents that live in multi-family complexes should contact their property manager for proper disposal.

MORE: Statewide – Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays