How to recycle your live Christmas tree in Metro Vancouver

While we were treated to a white Christmas in Vancouver, you can still be green and recycle your live Christmas trees.

There’s no need to dump your tree in the alley when there are plenty of places in and around Vancouver that will help you to recycle it instead.

Remember to take off all decorations, lights, ornaments, tinsel, et cetera before you bring your tree in for recycling.

Here’s how, when, and where to recycle your Christmas tree around the Lower Mainland:

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Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue

Working in partnership with Bartlett Tree Experts, Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue is offering Christmas Tree chipping services by donation. Funds help provide equipment and training to help their team continue to serve the community.

Where: 23598 Jim Robson Way, Maple Ridge
When: January 1, 2, 8, and 9 from 9 am to 4 pm
Cost: By donation

UBC Botanical Garden Christmas Tree Recycling

Drop off your tree at UBC’s botanical garden where funds raised go to help support an East Vancouver elementary school fix their broken garden boxes and provide garden lessons to students.

Where: UBC Botanical Garden – 6804 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver
When: December 26, 2021, to January 9, 2021, from 10 am to 2 pm
Cost: By donation, suggested $5 minimum

Lions Club Tree Chipping Events

With plenty of locations around Vancouver, the Lions Club annual tree chipping events are a convenient way to make sure your tree is properly disposed of.

Where: 

• King George Secondary School parking lot
• Kitsilano Beach parking lot
• Kerrisdale Ice Arena parking lot
• Trout Lake Community Centre parking lot

When: January 8 and 9 from 10 am to 4 pm
Cost: By donation, cash and non-perishable food items accepted

Free Drop-off at Transfer Station or Landfill

Drop off your tree for free until Monday, January 31, 2022, at one of two locations. All the trees are then turned into nutrient-rich compost, and the compost is then sold to residential gardeners, commercial landscapers and to municipal parks departments.

Where:

• Vancouver South Transfer Station –  377 West Kent Avenue North
• Vancouver Landfill – 5400 72nd Street, Delta

Green Bin

If you cut up your tree into pieces, then you can stick it into Vancouver’s regular Green Bin service. The pieces have to be smaller than 10 cm in diameter and shorter than 50 cm and Green Bin lids have to close completely.

Curbside Tree Collection

Trees will be collected from residential homes as part of the City Green Bin service. Get your tree out before 7 am on Saturday, January 22 to get in on the pickup.

When: The weekend of January 22 and 23

How to prepare trees for pickup:

• remove all lights, decorations, and tinsel
• lay the tree on its side in the same location that you set out your bins
• place the tree so it is visible from the street or lane
• leave the tree loose (no bag, string, or rope)

Clayton Heights Secondary Dry Grad Tree Chipping and Bottle Drive

In Surrey, you can drop-off your trees and bottles, too! Funds raised help support the Clayton Heights Secondary Dry Grad for the class of 2022.

When: Saturday, January 8 and Sunday, January 9 from 9 am to 3 pm
Where: Clayton Heights Secondary – 7003 188 Street, Surrey
Cost: By donation

With files from Daily Hive Staff.