BATON ROUGE — When do you take down your Christmas tree?
It’s the debate that follows every Christmas. Some families are eager to remove the decorations the day after jolly old St. Nick descends the chimney, while others prefer to wait until the new year arrives before dismantling the tinsel.
Regardless of your choice, there are several eco-friendly ways to recycle or dispose of your Christmas tree (assuming it’s real, of course)!
What to know before ditching the tree
No matter how you choose to dispose of your tree, it’s important to ensure that you check it for a few key things.
Experts recommend triple-checking to ensure that all ornaments and decorations are removed from the tree. Additionally, make sure to take off all tree stands.
Flocked trees are typically not accepted at most locations, and they should never be dumped in a pond.
In most cases, trees are chipped into mulch. However, in Louisiana, trees are sometimes placed into ponds or marshes to assist with erosion control and to provide a natural habitat for wildlife.
BREC Christmas Tree Recycling
BREC will have five locations for Christmas tree drop off and recycling until January 10.
- Liberty Lagoon Water Park
- Highland Road Community Park
- Scotlandville Parkway
- Zachary Community Park
- Plank Road Park
- Flannery Road Park
East Baton Rouge Parish
Residents in East Baton Rouge Parish can recycle trees by putting them curbside. The city will pick trees up starting January 7-19. The city says to leave the trees at the curb throughout the two-week period because pickup is typically scheduled outside of normal collection days.
Jefferson Parish Shoreline Protection Project
For 30 years, Jefferson Parish has been collecting Christmas trees to mitigate shoreline erosion and help rebuild wetlands. Over 800,000 trees have been collected since 1991. The trees are used to build tree fences that slow wave action, trap sediments, combat erosion and protect wetlands.
For more information, contact the Jefferson Parish Department of Ecosystem and Coastal Management at (504) 736-6719.
Jefferson Parish residents in unincorporated parts of the parish and the town of Jean Lafitte can place trees curbside starting January 10.
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