With the holiday season now over, the city Sanitation Department is offering a few reminders on recycling.
The annual residential Christmas tree recycling program runs from Monday, Jan. 5, through Saturday, Jan. 17. The 37–year–old program provides residents with a free, environmentally friendly alternative for the disposal of live trees. Residents who wish to drop off their trees to be recycled may take them to any of the city’s six Sanitation Convenience Centers, open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Northwest Center is located at Domino Lane and Umbria Street in Roxborough.
Residents also may drop off their trees at 15 designated locations on Saturdays, Jan. 10 and Jan. 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The trees must be free of all decorations and untied. Trees with decorations cannot be recycled. The program is for residents who receive city–collected trash and recycling services. Vendors are responsible for making arrangements for the private disposal of discarded trees. The drop–off sites in Northwest Philadelphia are at Cathedral Road and Ridge Avenue; Gravers Lane and Seminole Street; Washington Lane and Ardleigh Street; and Wayne Avenue and Logan Street.
For households that cannot participate in the recycling program, trees set out for pickup will be collected on regularly scheduled collection day as trash.
In addition to recycling, residents may follow these tips to reuse their trees:
* Small pine limbs and needles are good winter mulch material for sensitive plants.
* Trees can become backyard compost.
* Trees should not be burned in a fireplace. The sap creates foul odors and can coat the chimney with creosote which can cause a fire.
You also can check with local civic associations and private services that offer drop–off and pickup locations. The Philly Goat Project, for example, is accepting trees on Jan. 10 and Jan. 24 (rain dates are Jan. 11 and Jan. 25) at the Farm at Awbury, 6336 Ardleigh St. The suggested donation is $20 per tree. Private services that will pick up trees include Bennett Compost, in all Philadelphia zip codes, and Circle Compost, which in this area of the city operates in Roxborough and Manayunk. They charge $20 per Christmas tree; visit their websites for details, bennettcompost.com and circlecompost.com.
The city also offers these tips for recycling, reusing and reducing waste:
* Recycle wrapping paper (except glitter or metallic paper) and gift tags; glass wine and champagne bottles (rinse and dry first); and soda and beer cans, paper grocery bags, department store sale flyers and catalogs, telephone books and calendars.
* Reuse newspapers, ribbons and bows, plastic gift cards, plastic grocery bags and gift bags.
* Reduce waste that reaches landfills by using less tissue paper and decorations in your packaging, and less wrapping paper.