Santa says to recycle your tree after Christmas

For immediate release:
Dec. 23, 2008

Santa and the City of Austin are getting even greener by hosting the 24th annual Christmas Tree Recycling Event beginning Dec. 26, 2008. Trees can be recycled at the curb for Pay-As-You-Throw customers or at Zilker Park. It’s an easy and environmentally friendly way for Austin residents, including apartment dwellers, to recycle their Christmas trees. Christmas trees collected from Zilker Park are recycled into mulch which is made available free on a first come, first serve basis to Austin residents in mid-January.

"Recycling Christmas trees is a wonderful annual Austin tradition," said William E. Rhodes, P.E., Solid Waste Services Director. "Austinites understand the value of recycling and demonstrate this by doing a great job all year long."

Christmas Tree Recycling Guidelines:

City residents who do not have City of Austin garbage service can recycle their trees by dropping them off in Zilker Park at the designated times. The City will accept trees at Zilker Park on the following dates:

• Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residents should use the following guidelines when recycling their trees:

• All trees six feet or taller should be cut in half
• Remove all ornaments, decorations, and tree stand
• Do not place tree in a "tree bag" before setting on the curb
• Only real Christmas trees may be recycled

For the 173,000+ Pay-As-You-Throw customers served by Solid Waste Services, recycling a Christmas tree is as easy as setting it on the curb. Solid Waste Services will pick up all trees with yard trimmings on regularly scheduled collection days. They are then recycled along with yard trimmings to make Dillo Dirt™.

For more information, call 3-1-1 or visit www.austinrecycles.com.

Map to Zilker Park Drop off Area

Contact:
Jill Mayfield, City of Austin
Solid Waste Services
(512) 974-3556, Pgr: (512) 802-7615
jill.mayfield@ci.austin.tx.us