Delawareans are being asked to deliver their Christmas trees to one of many yard waste recycling facilities located throughout the state. Christmas trees are no longer accepted for recycling at any Delaware State Park locations.
Christmas trees will be accepted free of charge for recycling from residents at the facilities listed in this story. Residents may be able to bring their trees as soon as Dec. 26 and as late as Jan. 30, 2016, but should contact the facility for specific hours and details.
Haulers do not typically offer the service as part of their weekly service and DNREC and neighbors do not want to see trees dragged into open space around subdivisions.
Trees will not be accepted from commercial haulers or tree vendors without prior approval. Artificial decorations, including hooks, wire, tinsel and ornaments, as well as wood and metal tree stands, must be removed from all trees before dropping them off for recycling.
“Many Delawareans have been recycling their Christmas trees for many years, and we encourage everyone to establish or continue this eco-friendly tradition,” said Bill Miller, program manager in DNREC’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Section. “Recycling these trees that are a product of nature is a wonderful way of giving back to the environment.”
Christmas tree recycling saves landfill space. At least 18 percent of residential waste is composed of grass, leaves, brush, trees and other lawn maintenance and landscaped materials. Before Delaware’s yard waste bans, these materials – considered a resource for composting and reuse rather than waste – were deposited in landfills, taking up valuable space and limiting local markets for mulch and compost products.
Many entities collect Christmas trees, including various waste haulers and landscapers. Your regular trash hauler may offer special collections for Christmas trees in January.
Kent County will collect Christmas trees from Jan. 11-15 and 18-22 on the regular trash day for customers in trash districts that have the yard waste collection service.
Christmas trees, stripped of all decorations and detached from tree stands, can be dropped off by Delaware residents for free at any of the following locations:
New Castle County
Polly Drummond Hill Road Community Yard Waste Demonstration Site
Located in the Pike Creek area on Polly Drummond Hill Road, about 1/2 mile north of Kirkwood Highway. Hours: ONLY Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. through Jan. 10. The site will close Jan. 11, 2016 through May 7, 2016 (More information: www.dnrec.recycling.gov/yardwaste)
South Chapel Yard Waste Site (operated by Holland Mulch)
1034 S. Chapel Street, Newark, DE 19702; phone 302-737-1000
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m.-noon*
Copeland’s Mulch Depot (free for trees purchased at Copeland’s; otherwise $2)
2 Honeysuckle Drive, Stanton, DE 19804; phone 302-633-9536
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.*
Closed until Jan. 4.
Holland Mulch
135 Hay Road, Edge Moor, DE 19809; phone 302-765-3100
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m.-noon*
Sussex County
Blessings Greenhouses
9372 Draper Road, Milford, DE 19963; phone 302-393-3273
Hours: Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.*
Blue Hen Organics
33529 Fox Run Road, Frankford, DE 19945; phone 302-732-3211
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-4 p.m.*
Grizzly’s Landscape Supply Service
18412 The Narrow Road, Lewes, DE 19958; phone 302-644-0654
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
Kaye Construction
22288 Coverdale Road, Seaford, DE 19973; phone 302-629-7483
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.*, closed until Jan. 4
Millville Organic Center
Whites Neck Road (0.5 miles north of Route 26) Millville, DE 19967; phone 302-423-2601
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
Selbyville Pet and Garden Center (free for active customers within the last 6 months)
38205 DuPont Boulevard, Selbyville, DE 19975; phone 302-436-8286)
Hours: Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m.***
Stockley Materials
25136 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947; phone 302-856-7601
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.*
Call ahead as businesses may alter their hours of operation around the holidays.
