Residents and businesses in Essex Junction will once again have the opportunity to recycle their Christmas trees after the holiday season.
The City Public Works Department will begin curbside pickup of Christmas trees at 7:30 AM on Monday, January 6, 2025, weather permitting, and will continue until January 15, 2025. The trees will be chipped for use as mulch or as wood fuel. This service is provided at no charge. However, if the weather is inclement and crews need to prioritize snow removal, the pickup will start later in the week.
Here are the guidelines for using this service:
- All tinsel and decorations must be removed from the tree; otherwise, crews will not pick it up. Trees with nails or spikes in the trunk will also not be collected. Only clean trees will be accepted.
- Please make every effort to leave your tree at the curbside on the morning of Monday, January 6. If you place your tree out earlier and it becomes buried in a snowbank, it will not be picked up.
- Wreaths and other items will not be picked up for recycling due to the presence of mixed materials (metal and organic).
- Be patient regarding the pickup. It typically takes several days to collect all the trees.
- Due to ongoing winter storms and the volume of trees to be collected, crews cannot return in subsequent weeks to accommodate those who forget to place their trees at the curb in a timely manner.
- Trees will not be accepted for drop-off at the Public Works Garage or the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- The tree pickup is scheduled to end on January 15 unless delayed by weather conditions.
For residents who miss the curbside pickup or wish to recycle their trees at a different time, the Chittenden Solid Waste District will accept them at their Essex, Milton, and South Burlington Drop-Off Centers, as well as the Williston Organics Recycling Center, during regular operating hours. Please remove all tinsel, lights, decorations, tree stands, and plastic bags from the Christmas trees before disposal. There is no charge for dropping off up to two cubic yards of trees from residential customers; however, each additional cubic yard will incur a fee of $5.
Residents are encouraged to inform their trash hauler about this recycling service so that they can avoid accidentally picking up the tree and charging for its removal.