Essex Junction residents and businesses will again have the opportunity to recycle their Christmas trees after the holiday season.
The City Public Works Department will pick up Christmas trees at the curbside starting at 7:30 AM on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, weather permitting, until January 13, 2024. The trees will be chipped for use as mulch or used as wood fuel. There will be no charge for this service.
If the weather is inclement, requiring the crews to perform snow removal activities, the pickup will start later in the week.
The guidelines for using this service are:
- All tinsel and other decorations must be taken off the tree, or crews will not pick them up. Trees with nails or spikes driven into the trunk will not be picked up. Only clean trees will be accepted.
- Place the tree at the curbside on Wednesday, January 3. If you place the tree out earlier and it is buried in a snowbank, it will not be picked up.
- Wreaths and other items will not be picked up and recycled because of the mixed product (metal & organic material).
- Be patient regarding the pickup. It generally takes many days to collect all the trees.
- Please make every attempt to leave trees at the curbside on Wednesday morning.
- With ongoing winter storms and the number of trees to be picked up, crews cannot go back in subsequent weeks to accommodate those who forgot to place their trees at the curb in a timely manner.
- The tree pickup is planned to end on January 13 unless delayed by weather.
Each year, calls are received because the pickup date is either too early or too late for some individuals. If you miss the curbside pickup or want to recycle your tree earlier or later, the Chittenden Solid Waste District will accept the trees at their Essex. Milton, Richmond, and Williston Drop-Off facilities during their regular operating hours. There will not be a charge for dropping up to three Christmas trees from residential customers, but any additional trees may incur a charge. Trees will not be accepted for drop-off at the Highway Garage or the Wastewater Treatment plant.
Please alert your trash hauler of this service provided by the City so that they do not accidentally pick up the tree and charge for its removal.