LOS ANGELES, CA (December 28, 2020) – LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) Christmas Tree Recycling program has begun and encourages residents to properly recycle their tree. Recycling Christmas trees and other holiday items are an important way for Angelenos to help the environment and their community.
LASAN, which oversees this annual program, provides residents with safe and environmentally-friendly options for recycling their holiday tree. The program annually recycles between 90,000-100,000 trees. These trees, which otherwise would end up in a landfill, are turned into mulch and compost available free to residents for gardening and City staff for landscaping.
“Our Christmas Tree Recycling is one of our most successful and important environmental programs each year,” said LASAN Director and General Manager Enrique C. Zaldivar. “Angelenos do a great job in properly recycling their trees and we appreciate the support as they are reused as mulch and compost that is available free to residents.”
New this year is a pilot program where residents can request a free curbside tree collection through Amazon Alexa in English or Spanish by downloading the app onto their smartphone or Amazon assistant device. For more detailed information, visit: http://lacitysan.org/treerecycle . LASAN partnered with Salesforce, Amazon, Slalom and Scale Capacity on this pilot, which is the first in the country.
Below are the various options to properly and safely dispose of trees:
Green Bin – Residents can follow an easy three-step process to recycle their trees:
Remove decorations and stand;
Cut the tree into pieces, if needed, to fit into green bin; and
Place in green yard trimming bin and put out on your weekly collection day.
Curbside – Residents, who are unable to cut and place in their green bin, may leave their tree at the curb on their weekly collection day.
Drop-off locations -
13 Los Angeles Fire Department stations.
6 Recreation and Parks sites on Sunday, January 3, 2021 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Lopez Canyon Environmental Education Center or Harbor Sanitation District Yard weekdays from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
4 Sanitation District yards and Central Los Angeles Recycling and Transfer Station: January 9 from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
For more information on this program and a complete list of drop-off locations with dates and times, go to: http://lacitysan.org/treerecycle or call the LASAN Customer Care Center at (800) 773-2489.
Residents of multifamily buildings are requested to place their Christmas trees curbside for collection day in their neighborhood by LASAN. For collection day information, visit www.lacitysan.org or call the LASAN 24-hour Customer Care Center at (800) 773-2489.
In addition to Christmas trees, holiday wrapping paper, cartons, cardboard, Styrofoam® and other expanded polystyrene products, plastics and gift boxes are also recyclable and should be placed in the blue bin. However, it is illegal to place household hazardous waste, such as electronics (i.e. televisions and computers) and batteries into the collection bins. Please take those items to one of seven S.A.F.E. Centers for safe disposal and recycling.
Ribbons should be placed in the black bin because they often get tangled in recycling equipment.
