used christmas tree

Easy, Eco-Friendly Ways To Get Rid Of Your Christmas Tree

2nd Jan, 2018

Now the festive break is over, and many of us are back at work, it’s time to get the house back in order. Your Christmas tree is probably at the top of your to-do list – what do you do with it now? Well, you’ll be happy to hear there are no shortage of options. In this week’s blog, we’ve listed just a few of them!

Your Local Authorities Will Have You Covered

If you have a real tree (i.e. one that’s alive), they might seem daunting due to their size, but they’re actually quite simple to recycle. You can take them to your local waste recycling centre yourself, or you can check with your local council or authority. Most of them will arrange for Christmas tree drop-off areas, which are usually set up near local recycling centres. They might even organise special collections for those residents unable to make the trips themselves, so it’s definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled! You can generally find details on your local council’s website.

Before you drop them off, though, there are a couple of things you should do first. Namely:

  • Remove all tinsel and decorations
  • Take the trees out of their pots or stands
  • If it’s 6ft tall or higher, cut it in half (or even smaller, manageable sections)
  • Don’t place the tree in a plastic bag, as this may affect the willingness of councils to recycle it

pile of tinsel

When your tree is collected, it’s taken to be shredded by a chipper, and often used as mulch.

But That’s Not All…

You can always shred your tree yourself, of course. There are plenty of machines on the market that will easily do the job for you, as long as it’s in small enough pieces. Then, you can use the resultant layer of soil for your own garden. Having tree loppers or secateurs to hand is generally a good plan. Speaking of which, you can always take the opportunity to turn it into firewood. You usually have to wait a few weeks for the wood to dry out sufficiently to burn, but it saves you the trip!

If you have a pot-grown or rootballed tree, on the other hand, you should be able to replant it, as long as the rootball of your live tree has been kept damp over the festive season – this gives it the best chance to take in your garden.

firewoodIf you don’t fancy that, you might be considering turning to the Woodland Trust. Unfortunately, since Christmas trees are usually a non-native species, the Woodland Trust doesn’t generally accept them as donations. On the other hand, some local garden centres are quite happy to take them on – they could always use the mulch!

“But what if I have an artificial tree?” you might be asking. Well, by their very nature, artificial trees generally aren’t that good for recycling. However, it does allow you to just tuck it away in the attic or loft ready for next year. This makes them the most environmentally friendly option of all, minimising waste entirely!

However you decide to do it, have a very happy New Year from all of us here at Skip Hire Network. And of course, don’t forget us if you want to hire a skip! You can get an instant quote just by heading on over to our homepage, and entering in your phone number and postcode. Then, once we’ve finalised a few details, your skip will be well on the way. It’s really that simple!

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