- Christmas trees provide high-quality material for mulch and compost.
- In different regions, Christmas trees may be used differently after the holidays.
- Most municipalities offer Christmas tree recycling programs.
The tree stands tall in the living room. It faithfully serves its newfound home, sheltering the neatly wrapped boxes that litter its bottom. She wears shiny ornaments and bright lights. It is picture worthy. This is this year’s Christmas tree.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, about 30 million Christmas trees are sold each year.
But what happens to them when the holidays are over? There is no North Pole for these trees to return to, just like Santa Claus and his reindeer.
What about the trees that never became a home?
It turns out that the Christmas tree gives just as much after the holidays as during them.
What happens to unsold Christmas trees?
Not every fir is a cozy home. Some never make it out of the farm or parking lot. However, they all usually share the same fate.
“The biggest end point for unused Christmas trees … is conversion to mulch,” said Richard Bates, a professor of horticulture who teaches Christmas tree management at Pennsylvania State University.
“There are literally thousands of programs in place, typically run by municipalities or community groups that collect, then chop and compost — and sometimes even resell that end product,” Bates told USA TODAY.
What should I do with my Christmas tree?
Find one of these programs near you and recycle your Christmas tree after the holidays are over, experts recommend. According to Jill Sidebottom, spokeswoman for the National Christmas Tree Association, most cities and counties offer curbside pickup or Christmas tree drop-off locations.
According to Ed Baskin, who helps run the program, the city of San Diego accepts 70,000 Christmas trees from residents through its recycling program.
Baskin said the trees produce high-quality wood chips and mulch. In San Diego, the city uses mulch material and compost produced from trees in its parks and offers the product to residents for free.
Trees find new afterlife uses depending on where they are. For example, some places collect trees to fight beach erosion.
Some municipalities even put the trees in the pond because they are great habitat for small fish, Bates says.
Plastic tree:Here’s how to store your artificial Christmas tree, according to the pros
When should I take down the Christmas tree?
There is no definitive answer to this question.
Most people cut down the tree after the New Year. Some Christmas customs require the tree to remain up at least until Epiphany on January 6, when the three kings arrived in Jerusalem, Sidebottom reports.
Christmas movies for children:A guide to over 100 family movies to stream this holiday season
To be safe, it’s best to keep your tree green and fresh by watering it throughout its life. A dried tree in the house is a fire hazard. Dry trees are also harder to mulch, says Baskin. Remove all ornaments and decorations before recycling the tree.
