With Christmas upon us, you may already be wondering about the cleanup of not just shredded wrapping paper, but your well-decorated Christmas tree itself. 

Local officials are reminding all you festive people that there is still life left in your Christmas tree by way of recycling and donating.

“No matter whether your family chooses a live or an artificial Christmas tree, there are ways to make sustainable choices,” said Ashley Krug, Sustainability and Market Development Coordinator, via news release from the city. “Our general advice is: If you go live, buy local and recycle it when you’re done. If you choose artificial, plan to reuse it for as many years as you can and consider donating if it’s still in workable condition.”  

Those with live trees have several local recycling options (but not at Missouri landfills), including:

The City of Springfield Yardwaste Recycling Center (3790 S. Farm Road 119, Brookline) will accept residential Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands and other organic decorations for no charge between Dec. 28 and Jan. 29, 2022. All other times of the year the standard fee schedule will apply. The facility is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. Closed Sundays, Mondays, and national holidays. Trees are not accepted at the Franklin Avenue and Lone Pine recycling centers. 

Trees will be ground into wood chip mulch, available for purchase at the Yardwaste recycling center and Lone Pine recycling centers. Please remember to remove all tree stands, decorations, wiring and twine. No flocked trees are accepted. Call the city’s recycling hotline at 864-1904 for information. 

Bass Pro Shops will accept live trees at 1938 S. Campbell Avenue, across the street from the main store entrance, between noon and 6 p.m., daily, Dec. 26-30. A $10 per tree donation is recommended, benefiting projects for the Ozark Trails Council Boy Scouts Wa-Sha-She Lodge Order of the Arrow. 

Please remove tree stands and all decorations. No flocked trees accepted. Trees will be used to provide structure and habitat for fish at Table Rock Lake. For information, contact Bass Pro Communications at 417-873-4567 or press@basspro.com. 

Hansen’s Greenwaste (3341 S. Farm Road 107, Brookline) will accept residential Christmas trees for no fee, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Dec. 27 through Jan. 31, 2022. After Jan. 31, a $5 fee per tree will apply. Please remove all tree stands and decorations. No flocked trees accepted. Call 877-8733 for more information. 

Wickman’s Gardens (1345 S. Fort Avenue) will accept live Christmas trees beginning Dec. 27 for a $5 donation. Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds will be donated to the Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation. Please remove all tree stands, decorations and plastic bags. No flocked or artificial trees accepted.  For information, call 417-862-3707.

As for artificial trees and string lights, you can donate them at:

Habitat for Humanity ReStore (2410 S. Scenic Ave.) as well as Missouri Council of the Blind Thrift Stores (2713 N. Kansas Expy.) accepts donations of artificial trees and string lights in usable, working condition during normal business hours. 

“Unfortunately, our community doesn’t have a resource for recycling artificial trees at this time, so we urge folks to maintain their trees and make an effort to use them for as many years as possible,” Krug said. “Donation is another great option if the tree is in good, working condition.” 

Artificial trees in poor condition can be disposed at the Springfield Sanitary Landfill.

String lights can be recycled for no charge at the following locations:

• Computer Recycling Center at 528 N. Prince Lane. 417-866-2588. Fee: None 
• Complete Electronics Recycling at 2935 W. Chestnut Expy. 417-864-4415. Fee: None
• Home Depot at 2935 E. Independence. 417-881-7277 Fee: None. Disposal box located at the Christmas Tree lot. 
• Lowe’s at 1850 E. Primrose St. location only. Disposal box located in main entrance lobby near other recycling items. Fee: None 
• All Metal Recycling at 3340 W. Division. 417-862-0011. Fee: None (Pay 10 cents/lb.). Subject to change.
• Commercial Metals Company at 634 E. Phelps. 417-862-0548. Fee: None (Pay 20 cents /lb.). Subject to change.

For information about recycling opportunities in Springfield visit springfieldmo.gov/recycling or call the recycling hotline at 417-864-1904.