If your live Christmas tree is about to hit the curb for trash pickup, consider an eco-friendly alternative.
You can recycle the tree for free at any of 25 locations across Chicago.
The city’s annual Christmas tree recycling program, a collaboration between the Chicago Park District and Department of Streets and Sanitation, kicks off Jan. 9 and runs through Jan. 23 — for those who want to hang on to their holiday firs or pines just a few weeks more. No garland or wreaths are eligible for the program.
All trees must be clear of all decorations, lights, flocking, tinsel, ornaments, garland and stands. If you’re transporting the tree in any kind of plastic bag or wrapping, please remove before depositing in the special recycling bins at each location.
Here are the tree recycling sites:
- Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.
- Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.
- Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.
- Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave.
- Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Dr.
- Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave.
- Jackson Park, 6300 S. Cornell Ave.
- Kennedy Park, 2427 W. 113th St.
- Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.
- Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.
- Lincoln Park, Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave. (East of Cannon Dr.)
- Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Dr.
- Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.
- McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd.
- Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
- North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.
- Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave.
- Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
- Riis Park, 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.
- Rowan Park, 11546 S. Avenue L
- Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.
- Walsh Park, 1722 N. Ashland
- Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
- Wentworth Park, 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.
- West Chatham Park, 8223 S. Princeton
The recycled trees will keep on giving once they’re ground into mulch (great for your spring gardens), which will be available free for pickup (first-come-first-served, while supplies last) beginning Jan. 12 at these six recycling sites:
- Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.
- Lincoln Park, Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave.
- Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Drive
- Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
- North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski
- Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
More than 17,000 trees were recycled in 2019, according to a city report.
For more information, visit recyclebycity.com.
