Digital Media Center
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Gate 61
920 Paul Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0370
(800) 654-4262

© 2024 Alabama Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

What happens to old Christmas Trees?

Pixabay

The time between Christmas and New Year’s is when most of the decorations tend to come down. All across the country there was an increase in the number of people who bought and used real Christmas trees this year. Now that Christmas is over, they must find a way to safely dispose of them. Marsha Gray is the executive director of the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. She said while it may be a hassle to dispose of a real tree, there are plenty of ways to do it.

“These are all-natural products. They’re completely biodegradable, they’re completely recyclable. Wherever you take it, it will eventually go back to the earth," she said. "The challenge is that every community has a different plan, but most communities do have a plan.”

Gray said coastal areas have a unique way of using real Christmas trees after the holidays.

“They take Christmas trees that have been disposed of, put them on the beaches to prevent beach erosion. We also have places where they will sink trees into lakes and ponds to make great fish habitats," she observed. "All these places that are using the trees, they do eventual biodegrade and return to the earth.”

She said most other communities collect the trees from curbside pickup locations. These trees are oftentimes ground up into mulch and used in city parks.

News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you.