Burlington County is offering residents several ways to recycle their live Christmas trees after the holiday season. Residents can bring undecorated trees to the Burlington County Fairgrounds in Springfield through January 11, where the Burlington County Parks System will mulch them. Trees should be brought to Gate 2 and placed within the enclosed barricade. Artificial, bagged, or flocked trees are not accepted, and all stands, lights, tinsel, wires, ornaments, and garland must be removed.
On January 11, the county will hold its first “Mulch Fest” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., during which residents can take home free mulch for gardens or landscaping projects. Tools and containers for collecting mulch should be brought by participants.
“With the holidays just ending, many residents will be packing up their decorations and taking down their trees,” said Burlington County Commissioner Tom Pullion, liaison to the Department of Solid Waste and Recycling. “Bringing your trees to the Fairgrounds for Mulch Fest gives the trees a second life and helps keep our county green. Our residents are invited to take home free mulch, and any remaining supplies will be used in our County parks.”
Recycling Christmas trees reduces landfill waste and saves municipalities money on landfill fees. According to county officials, more than 67 million pounds of recyclables have been collected this year through November 30, saving towns over $3.4 million in landfill waste fees.
Live Christmas trees can also be recycled at the Burlington County Resource Recovery Complex in Florence from Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 7 a.m. until noon as part of the county’s free “Treecycle” service. Only live trees are accepted; artificial or flocked varieties are not eligible for recycling at these locations.
Holiday lights can also be recycled by dropping them off at the Resource Recovery Complex but should not be placed in regular recycling cans.
Several municipalities offer curbside collection or drop-off sites for discarded Christmas trees with varying schedules and requirements; residents are encouraged to check with their local town offices or consult information available on the county’s Recycling Coach app for details about local programs.
“Recycling is a proven property tax saver and a service we are proud to offer to all 40 municipalities free-of-charge, but we need our residents to help by taking the time to recycle the right materials,” said Commissioner Randy Brolo. “Downloading the Recycling Coach app is a great way to stay up to date with the recycling schedule and to understand exactly what can and cannot be recycled.”
Burlington County covers an area of 827 square miles—making it New Jersey’s largest county—and includes cities, boroughs, and townships among its forty municipalities according to its official website. The Board of Commissioners oversees various services including solid waste management as well as recreational opportunities across its park system.
For further information about tree recycling options or other questions regarding recycling services in Burlington County, residents may call (609) 499-1001 or email recycle@co.burlington.nj.us.
