Christmas trees, boxes can be recycled; gift wrap and bows reused
When you are ready to be rid of your real Christmas tree, you can give it a second life. Recycling programs turn trees into mulch to be used in public parks and trails.
Wake County has several drop-off sites where you can recycle your Christmas tree. They are accepting trees – with tinsel, lights and decorations removed – through Jan. 28.
An even easier option is available for Raleigh residents. If the city of Raleigh picks up your garbage, all you have to do is leave your tree curbside, and it will be picked it up. Just leave it right on the ground on any regular garbage day through Feb. 6.
Artificial trees cannot be recycled; only live trees will be picked up for recycling.
In Fayetteville, residents can leave Christmas trees at the curb between Jan. 8 and 12.
All lights, stands and trimmings should be removed from the tree. Residents who live outside the city or miss the pickup, may drop off trees at the Fayetteville Community Garden, located at the corner of Vanstory and Mann Street just off Old Wilmington Road any day before January 13.
Trees will be ground into mulch for the Fayetteville Community Garden and other local parks.
Can gift wrap be recycled?
The day after Christmas is usually the busiest day of the year for recycling facilities, as people rush to get rid of trash from the holidays.
Not everything can be recycled, however.
Yes: Christmas trees, plain wrapping paper, plain holiday cards, cardboard boxes, strings of lights
No: Foil, metallic or glittery wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbon, bows, plastic gift bags
In Wake County, corrugated cardboard, such as Amazon boxes, is fine to recycle in cardboard areas, but shiny gift boxes and cardstock need to go into the mixed recycling.
Bows and ribbon can get tangled up in the machines that process the recycling, have to be picked out of the recycling mix by workers. It's better to separate them to use again for another celebration.
