When you take down your natural Christmas tree after the holidays, keep in mind you can dispose of it in an eco- friendly way and have it chipped.
The RDCO Waste Reduction Office recommends giving your tree another life by dropping it off at any one of the convenient free Chip It locations. Your tree will then be chipped and composted into a nutrient rich soil enhancer called GlenGrow available at various locations including the Glenmore Landfill.
Please remove all decorations and tinsel before recycling your tree, plus any plastic bags or other materials used for transporting--all of these interfere with the composting process.
If you don’t want to haul your tree to a drop off location, you can also cut it down to size and put the pieces in your yard waste cart for pick up once yard waste collection resumes March 1. Keep in mind the pruning’s’ and branches must not be longer than 5cm (2in) in diameter and less than 1 meter (3ft) long.
Christmas tree drop-off locations December 26 through January 31 are:
Kelowna and Area:
Ben Lee Park (parking lot at Houghton Road)
Lequime Road (at Gordon, behind the Capital News Centre)
(Note: the former drop-off areas at Rowcliffe/Richter and Cook Road are no longer operational)
Glenmore Landfill (Glenmore Road)
Open Monday-Sunday 7:30 am – 4:45 pm.
Closed Dec 25th, 26th and Jan 1st
(*3 tree limit)
West Kelowna and Peachland:
Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Center (Asquith Road)
Open Friday-Monday 7:30 am – 3:50 pm.
Closed Dec 25th and Jan 1st
Lake Country:
Jack Seaton Park (1950 Camp Road)
For more information on tree chipping or holiday recycling, visit rdco.com/recycle, download the free Recycle Coach App (Google Play or App store), email recycle@rdco.com or call the Regional Waste Reduction Office at 250-469-6250.