03/29/2024
Spread the love

By Erin Smith

Now that the Christmas holiday has passed, many residents are beginning to remove the colorful decorations and preparing to dispose of their live trees. In Bladen County, no one has announced plans to grind or recycle the live Christmas trees.

Kip McClarey with Bladen County Solid Waste, said, “We have not done it in the past.”

He said county staff has not discussed the matter yet this year. McClarey said, currently, county residents can take their Christmas trees to the Convenience Centers in the county or bring them to the transfer station at the Bladen County Solid Waste location. The trees should be placed in the leaf and limb container for disposal.

“Don’t mix the trees with your household waste,” said McClarey.

Elizabethtown Assistant Town Manager Pat DeVane said the town has not recycled Christmas trees in several years and town staff pick up very few Christmas trees for disposal. He added Bladen County’s transfer station will accept live trees.

“If someone doesn’t have a way to haul a tree we will,” said DeVane.

Elizabethtown residents can call Elizabethtown Public Works at 910-862-2035 to arrange for pick up of their tree.

White Lake Public Works Director Tim Frush was unavailable on Thursday afternoon.

For those who are seeking a greener solution for disposing of their live tree, Cumberland and New Hanover counties offer Christmas tree recycling programs. All decorations and lights must be removed from the trees.

In neighboring Cumberland County, each year a grinding of the greens event takes place. You can take trees to Fayetteville PWC on January 12th to be ground and recycled for mulch and other uses.

In New Hanover County, Christmas tree recycling takes place from December 26th through January 15th. Trees can be dropped off at four locations there —Home Depot in Monkey Junction, Home Depot on Eastwood Road and at the New Hanover County landfill.

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