By Kathy Chouteau
When it comes to holiday tree disposal, the Richmond Environmental and Health Initiatives Division wants residents to know they have multiple options.
Ranging from curbside collection to self-hauling and more, here are ways people can properly bid farewell to their holiday tree:
Curbside Collection: Residents can cut their natural, unflocked Christmas tree to fit in their organic waste cart on their regular organic waste collection days, according to Republic Services’ tips for the City of Richmond. To use this option, real trees should be 6 ft. or less in diameter and chopped down into 3 ft. sections—plus, all ornaments and flocking must be removed. Cut trees in half if they are larger than 6 ft. and note that artificial trees are not compostable.
On-Call Bulk Pick-Up: Call Republic Services at (510) 262-7100 to set-up a free curbside pickup if you haven’t already used up your allocated annual bulk cleanups. Again, cut trees in half that are larger than 6 ft.
“For Fee” Curbside Collection: Residents who have used their allocated bulk pick-ups or who can’t reduce the size of their tree to fit it in their organic waste cart can call Republic Services’ at the aforementioned number to schedule a “for fee” curbside collection (approximately $23.10/tree).
Self-Haul (Drop-Off): Republic Services’ customers can take their trees to Golden Bear Transfer (#1 Parr Blvd., Richmond, Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat.-Sun., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) through the first weekend in February at no cost for compostable trees. Proof of residency is required (Driver’s license or CA ID). There’s a $13 charge for non-compostable trees or for no proof of residency.
Donating: Some local organizations, such as Boy Scout troops and Richmond youth groups, collect Christmas trees in exchange for a donation.