Community Corner

Recycle Christmas: What To Do with Old Trees and Broken Lights

Did you have a real tree this year? Here's what you can do with it.

Have old holiday lights that no longer work? Maybe you switched colors or swapped old lights for LED ones? Whatever the reason, if you have lights that you're not hanging this year, they can be recycled.

University City, area Walmarts and the Missouri History Museum are all participating in the St. Louis Green Holiday Light Recycling Drive. City hall has a drop off container in the basement level to collect your unwanted lights. Walmart will be collecting until Dec. 30 and city hall will collect until Jan. 13.

The city will also be collecting Christmas trees from your front curb during the first two weeks of January. Trees should be placed next to your trash or recycling cart.

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Please do not place any trees in the alley or inside a trash dumpster.

You can also recycle your tree yourself, by turning it into mulch. Prune off branches and use them to cover perennial plants in your yard for added protection against winter weather. If you're handy with a hatched, you can chip the trunk into small pieces to use around shrubs and trees.

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Artificial trees can be recycled by removing the branches and repurposing them into wreaths or sprigs for decorating shelves and mantles. If your artificial tree is still functional, consider donating it to Goodwill.


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