Where and when to recycle your live Christmas tree in Metro Vancouver

With the new year fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about how to properly dispose of your live Christmas tree.

Most municipalities offer some form of curbside pickup, and virtually all of them accept drop-offs at a central recycling facility.

But if you’re still feeling the seasonal charity bug, you can bring your tree, with a donation, to one of dozens of charity tree-chipping events around the region.

1:45 Christmas tree lots reporting shortages

You can donate cash, while many will also accept non-perishable food for the food bank.

No matter how you dispose of your tree, it should be free of tinsel, ornaments, artificial snow or anything else that might interfere with the composting process.

Here is a roundup of where to take your tree for disposal after the 2019 holiday season.

Vancouver

Vancouver offers curbside pickup on the weekend of Jan. 11 and 12. Trees must be set out by 7 a.m. on Saturday and laid on their side.

You can also take your tree to the Vancouver transfer station at 77 W. Kent Ave. N.

Or you can take your tree to one these charity chipping events:

• Jan. 4-5: Lions Club, Kerrisdale Community Ice Rink parking lot (5670 E Blvd., north of 41st Avenue), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Lions Club, Kitsilano Beach parking lot (Cornwall Avenue and Arbutus Street), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Lions Club, Sunset Beach upper parking lot (Beach Avenue and Broughton Street), 10 a.m. tp 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Lions Club, Trout Lake Community Centre parking lot (3360 Victoria Dr., south of East 12th Avenue), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 5: Mount Pleasant BIA, Kingsgate Mall east parking lot, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 12: Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, 50 E. 30th Ave., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Surrey

Surrey engineering crews will pick up trees curbside, provided they are cut into pieces three feet or shorter, bundled together and placed in your organics cart.

You can also drop your tree off at the Surrey transfer station at 9770 192 St.

Or you can take your tree to one of several charity chipping events:

• Jan. 4: Surrey firefighters tree chip, Newton Athletic Park, 7395 128 St. or Guildford Town Centre, 105 Avenue at 150 Street, 9 a.m to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 5: Lions Club/Surrey Food Bank tree chip, Central City mall east parking lot, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Emmanuel Covenant Church, 17029 16 Ave., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Holy Cross Secondary School, 16079 88th Ave., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Burnaby

For curbside pickup in Burnaby, trees should be placed outside by Jan. 6. City crews will pick up trees between Jan. 6 and 24. Trees five feet tall or longer must be cut in half.

If you live in a multi-family building that gets waste pickup from the city, you must have your tree out in an accessible location by Jan. 6. Trees will be picked up within the following three weeks.

Alternatively, you can drop a live tree off at Burnaby’s Eco Centre, so long as you have proof of residency in Burnaby.

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The city is also conducting chipping events, with donations going to the city’s warming centres, on Jan. 4 and 5 at the Burnaby City Hall parking lot at 4949 Canada Way.

Richmond

The City of Richmond offers curbside tree pickup on your regular collection day. Trees should be cut into three-foot pieces and put into bundles with a maximum diameter of two feet.

You can also take your tree to the City of Richmond’s recycling depot at 5555 Lynas Ln. between 9 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday.

Alternatively, you can drop your tree at Ecowaste Industries at 15111 Williams Rd.

The Richmond Fire Department also runs a charity chipping event on Jan. 4 and 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event takes place at Garry Point Park at the corner of 7th Avenue and Chatham Street.

Coquitlam

Coquitlam offers curbside pickup for trees cut into one-metre lengths and placed in your green bin.

Whole trees can be dropped at the Coquitlam transfer station at 1200 United Blvd.

There are also several charity tree-chipping events scheduled in Coquitlam:

• Jan. 4: Scouts Francophones de Maillardville, Canadian Tire parking lot, 1200 Seguin Dr., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Jan. 4: Friends of Mundy Park Heritage Society, Mundy Park parking lot, Hillcrest Street, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4: Kinsmen Club of Coquitlam, Miller Park Community School, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Kinsmen Club of Coquitlam, Town Centre Park parking lot A, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam does not offer curbside pickup of live Christmas trees.

But for a $10 donation, firefighters will come pick a tree up from your home. For an extra $10, they’ll also take your other recyclables.

There is also a charity chipping event on the weekend of Jan. 4 and 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Trees can be brought to Fire Hall No. 1 at 1725 Broadway St. with a minimum donation of $5.

North Vancouver

The City of North Vancouver offers curbside pickup for trees cut into three-foot lengths and bundled with natural string or twine. Do not place them in your green bin.

The District of North Vancouver also offers curbside pickup. However, trees here must be cut into small pieces and placed in your green bin.

You can also take your tree to the North Vancouver transfer station at 30 Riverside Dr., where a tipping fee applies.

There are also a number of charity chipping events in North Vancouver:

• Jan. 4: Firefighters chip-up, Rona parking lot near Park and Tilford, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: North Shore Scouts, Ray Perrault Park, Moody Avenue at 13th Street, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Upper Lonsdale Preschool, District Hall parking lot, 355 W. Queens Rd., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 5: Larson Elementary School Grade 7 class, 2605 Larson Rd., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Jan. 5-6: Covenant House and North Shore Rescue chip-up, Westview Shopping Centre parking lot, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

West Vancouver

West Vancouver offers curbside pickup for trees cut into three-foot pieces. Bundles can be one metre by 30 centimetres or put into your green bin.

You can also make the trip to the North Vancouver transfer station at 30 Riverside Dr., where a tipping fee applies.

Or you can take your tree to one of several charity chipping events:

• Jan. 3: Tiddlycove Lions chip-up, Ambleside Park parking lot, noon to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: West Vancouver Scouts, Scout tree lot at Taylor Way and Clyde Avenue, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: West Vancouver Scouts, Hollyburn Plaza, Marine Drive at 18th Street, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Delta

The City of Delta offers curbside collection on regular collection days for trees that have been cut in half.

You can also drop your tree at the Enviro-Smarts Organics composting facility at 4295 72 St. in Ladner.

The Delta Lions Club is also operating several charity chipping events on Jan. 4 and 5 at the following locations:

• Memorial Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• South Delta Recreation Centre, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sungod Recreation Centre, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

New Westminster

New Westminster will pick up your live tree provided you can break it down into small enough pieces to fit in your green bin.

You can also take it to the New West recycling depot at 96 E. 6 St.

Or you can take it to a charity chipping event run by the New West Firefighters. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 4 and 5 at the Canada Games Pool parking lot at East 6 Avenue and McBride Boulevard.

Port Moody

The City of Port Moody does not offer Christmas tree recycling services.

However, you can bring your tree to a charity chipping event that runs from Jan. 4 and 5 at the Inlet Centre Fire Hall at 150 Newport Dr. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Langley

Both the City of Langley and the Township of Langley offer curbside pickup on regular collection days. Trees must be cut in half and bundled and must be less than a metre in length and a half-metre wide.

You can also take your tree to the Langley transfer station at 1070 272 Ave., where yard waste tipping fees apply.

Or you can go to one of many charity chipping events:

• Jan. 4: Willoughby Scouts chipping event, Willoughby Elementary, 20766 80 Ave., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4 and 11: 1st Walnut Grove Scout Group chipping event, Walnut Grove Secondary School parking lot, 8919 Walnut Grove Dr.
• Jan. 4: Langley Junior Girls Rugby Club, Langley Rugby Club, 21280 Crush Cres., 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: 2nd Brookswood Scouts, Brookswood Secondary, 20902 37A, 9 a.m to 4 p.m.
• Jan. 4-5: Brian Thornburn and Ride2Survive, Willowbrook Mall parking lot, 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m.
• Jan. 4: D.W. Poppy Secondary School Dry Grad, 23752 52 Ave., 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Jan. 4: 2nd Langley Scout Group, Buckley Park, 19680 48 Ave., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

White Rock

White Rock offers curbside pickup as long as your tree can be broken down and fits into a green bin.

Alternatively, you can take it to the City of White Rock Fire Department tree-chipping event at the Centennial Park Arena at 14600 North Bluff Rd. The event runs on Jan. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proceeds go to several local charities.

Maple Ridge

You have two options to dispose of a live tree in Maple Ridge.

You can take it to the Maple Ridge transfer station at 10092 236 St., where a yard waste tipping fee applies.

Or you can take it to a charity chipping event run by Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue. The event takes place on the weekends of Jan. 4-5 and Jan. 11-12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take trees to the Search and Rescue building at 23598 Jim Robson Way.

Pitt Meadows

Pitt Meadows residents can make the trip to the Maple Ridge transfer station at 10092 236 St., where a yard waste tipping fee applies.

Alternatively, you can take your tree to the Lions Club and Highland Park Elementary charity chipping event at Meadows Landscape Supply on Jan. 4 and 5 at 18020 Kennedy Rd.

Lions Bay

In Lions Bay, take your live tree to the village drop-off site at the far end of the CN lot on Lions Bay Avenue until Jan. 15.

Belcarra and Anmore

Anmore is not running a chipping event this year and asks residents to contact the village for disposal options.

Trees can be dropped off at the Belcarra Recycle and Refuse Facility on Bedwell Bay Road. Residents should check with the village for details.

You can find out more about where to recycle live trees anywhere in B.C. through the Recycling Council of B.C.’s website.