Where to get rid of your live Christmas tree

The City of Regina and City of Saskatoon are trying to keep your unwanted Christmas trees out of the landfill.

Regina

A returning program in Regina is assisting residents in “treecycling” their live trees.

Residents with a fir tree to dispose of can bring their tree to the city’s Yard Waste Depot, where trees are processed and converted into compost.

People wishing to use the program are advised to remove any tinsel and garlands from their trees and are also requested not to bring their trees to the depot in tree disposal bags.

Smaller trees can be chopped down and disposed of using the green organic carts, which have biweekly pickup.

The Yard Waste Depot lies south of the Fleet Street landfill and has a separate entrance that allows people to drop off their yard waste free of charge without interacting with landfill operations.

This year’s program will run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 31 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Saskatoon

Residents of Saskatoon have similar options for disposing of their real Christmas trees.

The city’s drop off site is the Material Recovery Centre, located at 42 Valley Road near the landfill. The centre accepts trees to chip, compost or be used as mulch.

The centre will be open Dec. 26 through Jan. 31 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., though it will be closed on New Years Day.

Only live, natural trees are accepted at the drop-off centre, and should be unwrapped and unbound and free of ornaments, tinsel and other plastic, which can impact the quality of the wood chips.

Small twigs and tree trimmings that are no longer than 60 centimetres (cm) and 2 cm wide can go in residents’ green carts.

The City of Saskatoon will not pick up trees from back lanes, street fronts or curbside collection carts.

Artificial trees can be sold, donated or disposed of at the landfill.