New Hampshire: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays January 2024

Scroll down this page for local New Hampshire 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!

New Hampshire: Where and How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays January 2024

• Concord, NH
  Concord residents with curbside trash and recycling collection can dispose of Christmas trees curbside during the first 2 weeks in January. Place Christmas trees curbside on your scheduled trash collection day in mid January.  Christmas trees will be collected for two weeks through January 15. Trees must be placed at the curb with residential trash and recycling by 7:00 a.m. to not miss collection. All lights, ornaments, tinsel, and decorations must be completely removed from the tree. Wreaths and artificial trees will not be collected. Please note that trees will be collected in a separate truck from trash and recycling, so items may be collected at different times. Trees can also be taken to the Concord Transfer Station at 77 Old Turnpike Road during the month of January for free. The transfer station is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will be closed on January 1 for New Year's Day.

• Dover, NH - The City of Dover Recycling Center on Mast Road is now accepting Christmas trees during regular hours. Christmas trees are not collected curbside. Trees brought to the Recycling Center must be free of all ornaments, lights, tinsel, tree bags and tree stands or they will not be accepted. Real trees can be disposed of in the brush pile. Artificial trees can be disposed of in the construction debris pile for a fee. The Recycling Center is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm For more information, contact Community Services at 516-6450.

• Hanover, NH
  Christmas trees may be dropped off, free of tinsel or any other decorations, at the Public Works Facility at 194 Lebanon Street. Just drive straight to the back of the yard and leave your tree. Trees may be dropped off through the Monday in mid- January (around January 14 - 17). Whenever it is convenient for YOU!
  LOCATION: Hanover Public Works Department, 194 Lebanon Street (across from Buck Road) Please remove all decorations and tinsel. Drive to the back of our yard and drop off your Christmas tree in the pile already started. Questions? Call 643-3327 .
  Trees may also be dropped off at the Lebanon Solid Waste Facility. No charge if tree limbs/trunks are under 4 inches in diameter. Please see additional information below if over 4 inches in diameter. Where to dispose item: Area behind dumpsters
  Other Information: PLEASE NOTE: Tree branches and/or trunks over 4 inches are charged at (Prices may have changed!) $50/ton. We DO NOT accept stumps. For Christmas trees, please remove all lights, ornaments, garland, and treestands.
  
  

• Manchester, NH
  Christmas trees are collected curbside Curbside Christmas Tree Collection during the third week of January, ONLY. Ornamentation must be removed. Artificial trees are not taken. The Drop Off Facility at 500 Dunbarton Road accepts Christmas trees from residential permit-holders for free, year-round.

• Nashua, NH - Christmas trees are collected curbside the first two full weeks of January on your normal pickup day. All lights, ornaments, tinsel, and decorations must be removed from the tree. The trees should be placed curbside by 6:45 am For more information, call the Solid Waste Department office at 589-3410.

• Portsmouth, NH
  CHRISTMAS TREE CURB SIDE COLLECTION - Christmas trees will be collected curbside from December 28, to mid January on the same day your trash and recyclables are collected. Alternately, residents may bring their Christmas trees to the Recycling Center.
  Recycling Center, 680 Peverly Hill Road, Portsmouth NH 03801.
  Hours: Tuesday - 7:45 am to 3:15 PM, Wednesday - 7:45 am to 3:15 PM, Thursday - 7:45 am to 3:15 PM, Saturday - 8 am to 2:00 PM
  Phone: (603) 427-1530.

• Rochester, NH
  The City of Rochester does not do curbside pickup for trees, but residents can bring Christmas trees to the WM facility at 90 Rochester Neck Road.
  

• Westford, NH - Christmas Trees and Christmas Lights:
  The Westford Fire Fighters Association - (978) 392-0028. WFFA collects Christmas trees annually on designated dates in January (aroundd the 7th to 10th). Price: (Prices may have changed!) $10 per tree via check payable to Westford Fire Fighters Association. Place check in a clear plastic bag and attach to tree; have trees curbside by 7 AM date of pick-up. Call WFFA at (978) 392-0028 to place your information on the pick-up list.
  Westford Metals - 69 Broadway Street; 978-392-3251; M-F: 7 am to 3pm. Christmas tree lights (green or white wire mini lights).

For Easter egg Hunts, Children's Consignment Sales, Local Farm Markets and other types of Farms, click here.