When the holidays are over, don’t forget to treecycle your fresh cut Christmas tree.

Pierce County residents who subscribe to yard waste collection service can place their unflocked tree in their container. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed as garbage.

Residents may also recycle their tree free of charge at Pierce County’s transfer stations. For locations, visit online, www.piercecountywa.org/treecycle.                                             To recycle your Christmas tree, remove the tree stand, tinsel, decorations and any nails or staples. Place the tree in your yard waste container for pick up on your regularly scheduled collection day. The tree must fit into the closed container, so cut the tree into pieces if necessary. If your tree isn’t in the cart, you may be charged for the additional pick up.

“Trees collected are composted along with the rest of the yard waste collected in Pierce County,” said Sheryl Rhinehart, Pierce County Public Works outreach coordinator. “The finished product is called Cascade Compost, a soil amendment you can buy locally and use in your own garden.”

The cities of Milton, Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma and Ruston have special tree collection programs for households within their city limits. Contact your city hall or local garbage hauler for more details.

For more information about preparing for winter, visit online: www.piercecountywa.org/winterwise

– Pierce County