What Londoners can do with their Christmas trees

Londoners have a few options to repurpose or dispose of their Christmas trees now that the holiday season is over.

For those who’d like to dispose of them, the City of London asks that you drop them off at an EnviroDepot as there’s no special curbside collection of Christmas trees and winter greenery.

Two additional drop-off days remain available, each open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.:

• Tuesday, Jan. 2
• Sunday, Jan. 7

Londoners are asked to remove all decorations, tinsel, garland, skirts and lights from the tree prior to disposal.

For those who’d like to repurpose their Christmas tree, one option is to place it in your backyard so it can become a habitat for birds.

In the spring, trees that are three metres or shorter can be placed at the curb for regular yard waste collection.

The city has also provided some waste and recycling tips:

• Put gift wrap and bags in the trash. These items are often coated with plastic or foil that contains coloured dyes and are not recyclable, and can cause big problems for paper mills when mixed with other products.
• Flatten your boxes. Breaking down, flattening, and bundling cardboard helps recycling trucks save space. Cardboard bundles should be no larger than 75 cm x 75 cm x 30 cm or stacked flattened in your blue bin.
• Avoid putting containers on snowbanks. Snowbanks make it difficult to tell where a curb may be, so placing bins on level ground helps keep collection crews safe.
• Avoid “Wishcycling,” a term that refers to assuming an item is recyclable because one wishes it to be. Clementine boxes, ribbons, bows, decorations, plastic toys, Styrofoam, and soiled paper plates are just a few things that do not belong in the blue bin, but are often assumed to be recyclable.

If you’re unsure of what can go in the blue box, the city recommends downloading the RecycleCoach App to help answer what goes where, among other waste reduction advice.

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