Hillsborough and Pasco counties are offering a variety of ways to dispose of live Christmas trees, after celebrations are over.
Several options are available to Hillsborough County solid waste customers, including free curbside pickup, free disposal at county yard waste facilities, or recycling and reusing the tree in their own landscapes.
For curbside pickup: Remove all decorations (lights and tinsel, too), cut tree trunk, limbs and branches into sections no longer than 4 feet by 6 inches wide in diameter, and place curbside on yard waste day.
To drop a tree off at either of the two county locations, remove decorations first. Skip the hassle of cutting your own tree into smaller pieces and drop it off at 13001 U.S. 41 in Gibsonton or 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., in Tampa. Sites are open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on holidays. Customers must show a valid photo ID and current property tax bill and should be prepared to unload the tree themselves. For information, call 813-272-5680.
And to repurpose your tree, use it in your yard to feed birds (hang suet or sliced fruit from the branches) or grind the tree to use for mulch.
For Pasco County, the Trees to Trails program is in effect until Jan. 13. Residents can drop off their tree, which will be chipped and used in Pasco County parks to mulch trails and planting beds.
For information, call Wesley Chapel District Park at 813-345-3145, Veterans Memorial Park at 727-861-3033 or Parks Administration at 813-929-2760.
Published January 03, 2024
