Monroe County, New York: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays January 2024

Scroll down this page for local Monroe County, New York recycling and responsible disposal options for holiday waste, from Christmas trees and wreathes, to lights, ornaments, wrapping and packaging. Many towns and cities offer curbside collection, even for Christmas trees. Counties and unicorporated areas typically have a number or drop-off locations.

Christmas trees are usually colllected from December 26th through the first 2 or 3 weeks in January.  Whether your tree is picked up from your curb, or you drop it off, be sure to remove all  remove all lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, stands,  other NON-Organic decorative materials and other materials that are not part of the original tree. This includes tree stands also.  Flocked trees are occasionally accepted (call to verify), but not artificial trees. Large trees (larger than the standard 6 - 7 ft tree) may need to be cut in half to be acceptable by your curbside garbage hauler.

The trees and wreathes are usually chipped and made into a mulch which is often made available, free to city or county residents.

Recycling other items:

• See this page for local options to easily recycle your Christmas holiday lights
• To find out how to recycle almost any other type of Christmas holiday waste from wrapping paper to toys and electronics, see this page. Ornaments and light strings are usually placed into your curbside collection bin. Some localities have year-round collection centers. The same is true of wrapping paper and boxes. 

Always follow the links (usually the blue, underlined name of the city or county) below for updated information, as these agencies often wait until the last minute to change dates or update their information. If your area is not specifically mentioned below, call your trash collection agency and ask!

Monroe County, New York: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays January 2024

Monroe County, NY -

• Monroe County - residents can once again recycle their Christmas trees, free of charge, at several locations across Monroe County. Most drop-off locations will accept trees throughout the end of January. Most communities provide curb-side pick up for trees. Contact your town or village for more information. You can also bring your Christmas trees to either the Amboy or Jamesville Compost Site between the first 2 weeks in January (Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4 pm). Trees must be free of ornaments, tree stands, lights, tinsel, etc. There is no charge to drop off items at either site. In the spring, the trees are ground into mulch that can be used in gardens and landscaping.
• Monroe County/Waste Management ecopark
  10 Avion Drive Rochester, NY 14624 During operating hours, trees may be dropped off next to the compost give-back center (no woodchips). For details, go to www.monroecounty.gov/ecopark.
• Rochester, NY - Residential customers who wish to recycle their natural holiday trees may bring them to one of several holiday tree drop off locations around the city. The trees are chipped and the resulting mulch is returned to the public at no charge through the Materials Give Back Program located on Ferrano Street near Colfax Street.
  Drop-off Locations - Beginning after Christmas and through the end of January, residents may drop their holiday tree for recycling at the these Rochester locations.
  Department of Environmental Services - Operations and Parks Bureau From December 26 until January 31, City residents may bring trees to the drop-off sites listed below or put them curbside on their regular garbage collection day. Remove plastic bags, ornaments, etc.
  Materials Give Back Facility located at Ferrano and Colfax Streets
  Beach Ave. West of Lake Ave. @ Estes St.
  Cobbs Hill Recreation Center - Lake Riley Lodge -- parking lot
  Genesee Valley Park -- tennis court parking lot (Genesee Extension)
  Norton Village Recreation Parking Lot- opposite 331 Waring Road
• Green Renewables, Inc. After Christmas Day, trees may be dropped off at 225 Ballantyne Rd. Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• High Acres Recycling Center & Landfill Perinton Perinton and Macedon residents may bring their trees free-of-charge to 425 Perinton Parkway from December 28 through January 31, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (closed from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.) and Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 12 noon. Non-residents $1 fee. Christmas Tree Recycling 2020 Drop Off Location / Program Sponsor Instructions
• Town of Brighton Town collects residents' trees curbside. Chips available until depleted.
• Town of Chili Town residents may drop off trees in the designated area at the Highway Department, 200 Beaver Road, throughout January. Curbside pick-up and woodchips are available.
• Town of Clarkson Drop trees off any day/time at the designated area in front of the Highway Department, 3623 Lake Road, or at the Transfer Station, 3078 Redman Road (� mile N. of Rt. 104) Wednesday from 2 - 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. No permit required.
• Town of Gates Highway Department Normal weekly collection with brush pickup.
• Town of Greece Town residential curbside collection during January (weather permitting). Trees may also be dropped off Monday through Saturday at 635 Flynn Road (the Town transfer station) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. excluding holidays.
• Town of Hamlin Residents may drop off trees through February 28th at 91 Railroad Avenue (just past Highway garage) in brush pile.
• Town of Henrietta Residents may bring trees to the Tinker Nature Park, 1525 Calkins Road (behind the barn) from December 26 through January 31. Donations for the Rush-Henrietta Food Cupboard will be accepted.
• Town of Irondequoit Helmer Nature Center Residents may bring trees to the Helmer Nature Center, 154 Pinegrove Avenue, until mid-January. NO TREES ACCEPTED AFTER 1 P.M. ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020.
• All other areas of the state (just enter your zip code on the page that comes up)

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