Following the festive season, Long Beach residents are being offered an eco-friendly way to dispose of their live holiday trees. According to the City's Energy and Environmental Services Department, the annual Treecycling program is set to kick off on Dec. 26 and will run until Jan. 9, 2026. Convenient drop-off locations scattered across the city, 13 to be exact, are ready to receive trees at no cost, in an effort to prevent illegal dumping and reduce fire hazards.
The initiative, which has been a tradition for the City, is instrumental in converting nearly 155 tons of holiday trees into valuable landscaping mulch each year. The mulch is a repurposing of what would otherwise be a wasteful discard, turning about 10,000 trees into a resource for the community. Residents are encouraged to strongly consider dropping off their trees at one of these designated sites. A full list of locations and their operation hours can be found here.
To ensure the success of the program, there are a few guidelines for participants to follow. The City of Long Beach requests that all decorations be removed from the trees and stands be detached. For those towering trees over 12 feet, the instruction is to cut them in half, and trees should be left unwrapped for drop-off. Even if a tree is flocked, it can still be part of the recycling program, as clarified by the city's announcement. However, artificial trees are not accepted.
Recognizing that not all residents may be able to bring their trees to a drop-off location, the city also offers a one-time curbside collection on Jan. 10, 2026. To ensure collection, trees should be placed at your regular collection spot by 7 a.m. For more information, including details on the curbside pickup and drop-off locations, visit the Treecycling webpage. Questions about the program can also be directed to Dalia Gonzalez, Public Information Officer, at the Department of Energy and Environmental Services.
