22nd ANNUAL CITY OF HOUSTON CHRISTMAS TREE
RECYCLING KICK-OFF

City officials, along with representatives from Reliant Energy and Living Earth, watched as the official city Christmas tree was cut into small pieces and mulched for the 22nd year in a row.  The purpose of the event was to encourage residents to recycle their Christmas trees, saving landfill space and disposal costs. 

 
Reliant is committed to changing the way people think about and use electricity and is committed to sustainability,” said Scott Burns, Director at Reliant. “This event is one of the many unique ways we can try to get people to think differently about how they use natural resources.”

Residents can recycle their trees by dropping them off at one of eighteen (18) free, drop-off, recycling sites located throughout Houston.  The program runs from December 27th, 2012 to January 8th, 2013.  All facilities are closed January 1, 2013. In addition to the drop-off locations, residents with City of Houston collection may place their tree curbside on their scheduled tree waste day and it will be recycled. Trees that are collected for recycling will be ground into mulch that is available in bulk directly from Living Earth or available in bags at Houston area retailers. 

The trees must have all decorations, ornaments, tinsel, lights and stands removed.  Flocked trees cannot be recycled.  

Trees may be dropped off at the following eighteen (18) locations city-wide.

Wednesday - Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

1. 1. Sunbeam Neighborhood Depository – 5100 Sunbeam
2. 2. Central Neighborhood Depository – 2240 Central St.
3. 3. Kirkpatrick Neighborhood Depository – 5565 Kirkpatrick
4. 4. Sommermeyer Neighborhood Depository – 14400 Sommermeyer
5. 5. N. Main Neighborhood Depository – 9003 North Main
6. 6 Southwest Neighborhood Depository – 10777 Southwest Freeway

Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m – 6:00 p.m.

1. 7. Doss Park (gates close at 5 p.m.) – 2500 Frick Road
2. 8. Memorial Park, Ball Fields 4 and 5 – 7300 Memorial Drive
3. 9. T.C. Jester Park – 4200 T.C. Jester West
4. 10. Kingwood -  Bens View Lane at Bens Branch Drive
5. 11. Ellington Airport Recycling Drop-off - Hwy 3 & Brantley Rd

Monday – Saturday  8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m

1. 12. Living Earth   – 5625 Crawford
2. 13. Living Earth   – 1503 Industrial Drive
3. 14. Living Earth   – 1700 Highway 90A East
4. 15. Living Earth   – 12202 Cutten Road
5. 16. Living Earth   – 16138 Highway 6
6. 17. Living Earth   – 5210 S. Sam Houston Parkway

Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

1. 18. Westpark Consumer Recycling Center – 5900 Westpark

The Solid Waste Management Department would also like to remind residents to remember their Odds and Evens. SWMD collects tree waste only in the ODD numbered months of January, March, May, July, September and November.  Tree Waste is clean wood waste such as tree limbs, branches and stumps. 

Junk waste is collected in the EVEN numbered months of February, April, June, August, October and December and is defined as lumber, furniture, appliances with the freon removed and other bulk items.

Residents are limited to eight cubic yards (two pickup beds full) per monthly collection.

For more information, residents can call 311, the City of Houston Help Line or visit www.houstonsolidwaste.org.