As the holiday season wraps up and the tinsel fades, Raleigh residents have a sustainable option for their now-spent Christmas trees, the City of Raleigh is offering curbside tree collection services. According to a recent announcement, if the City handles your garbage collection, simply drag your tree to the curb on your assigned yard waste day—the pickup will run through February 14, 2025.
But as you untrim your tree, there are a few things to keep in mind; decorations and lights need to be completely removed, and don't try sneaking that tree into any garbage or recycling bins, it should be left plainly on the ground, a Raleigh spokesperson notes. Curbside collection beats illegal dumping, and it's not just about avoiding a tangled mess in sorting facilities but also about fostering landscaping opportunities, as recycled trees are transformed into mulch at the Raleigh Yard Waste Center.
There's also an eco-friendly PSA for when your Christmas lights burn out—while resplendent in years past, when their glow dims for good, they are destined for the trash, not recycling. The city makes it clear that preparations for Christmas tree disposal should involve thinking about the future of those once revered pines and not just about claustrophobic cluttering of garbage containers.
