PRESS RELEASES

December 19, 2005 - The City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) will embark on its 14th year of Christmas tree recycling on December 27, 2005 by providing recycling drop-off sites throughout Houston. This program will last until January 9, 2006. All drop-off sites will be closed on New Year's Day.

"We are asking Houston residents to strip their Christmas trees of tinsel, lights, ornaments, plastic bags, trees stands and water bowls," said SWMD Director Buck Buchanan . Flocked trees will not be accepted . Homes with City of Houston Automated Garbage Collection, may place their trees at the curb with their separate yard trimmings to have it recycled.

Please bring residential Christmas trees to one of the following drop-off locations:

Dec. 27, 2005 to Jan. 9, 2006
Closed Jan. 1, 2006

WED-SUN, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Sunbeam Neighborhood Depository - 5100 Sunbeam
• Lawndale Neighborhood Depository - 9200 Lawndale
• Kirkpatrick Neighborhood Depository - 5565 Kirkpatrick

MON-SAT 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., SUN 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Westpark Consumer Recycling Center - 5900 Westpark
• Memorial Park (Ball Fields 4 and 5) - 7300 Memorial Drive
• T.C. Jester Park - 4200 T.C. Jester West
• Kingwood - Bens View Lane and Bens Branch Drive
• Clear Lake - Ellington Field Recycling Dropoff

Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., SAT 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., closed SUN

• Living Earth Technology - 5625 Crawford Road
• Living Earth Technology - 1503 Industrial Drive (Gessner @ Hwy 90)
• CJM Soils Supermarket - 1700 Highway 90A East
• CJM Soils Supermarket - 12202 Cutten Road

Weekends only, SAT 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., SUN 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Centerpoint Energy - 2301 Gears Road

The Solid Waste Management Department provides solid waste services to the citizens of Houston through the collection, disposal and recycling of discarded material in a manner that is safe, efficient, environmentally-sound and cost-effective.

For more information, residents can call 3-1-1.