Broome County Will Recycle Your Live Christmas Tree for Free

Each year in the United States, an estimated 33 to 36 million Christmas trees are produced and cut down according to Agronomag.

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If you are one of the 35 or so million Americans who celebrated the Christmas season with a live Christmas tree, you will soon find yourself (if not already) wondering if you should put it out to the curb for pickup or if you should find a way to recycle it.

Even if you forgot to water your Christmas tree as often as you should have and your poor tree is brown and dropping needles everywhere, it will still be of more value recycled than it will sitting somewhere waiting to return to the earth.

When a tree is recycled, it can be used in a variety of ways. Trees can be turned into mulch for local schools and parks, used to feed fish in area ponds, and even used to fight erosion.

Yes, trees are biodegradable and will eventually break down, but most counties offer free recycling options, including Broome County.

Broome County is offering residents three different locations where live Christmas trees can be dropped off for free to be recycled. Each of the locations will accept trees through Monday, January 31, 2022.

Before dropping off your live Christmas tree, make sure that all decorations and tinsel are completely removed. Live Christmas trees will be accepted at the following locations:

• NYSDEC, 1679 Route 11 in Kirkwood Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Trees dropped off at this location will be chipped and spread along local hiking trails.
• Broome County Landfill, 286 Knapp Road in Binghamton Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Trees dropped off at this location will be chipped and composted.
• Grippen Park, 607 South Grippen Avenue in Endicott during daylight hours. Trees dropped off at this location will be chipped and composted.