DeKalb's Christmas Tree Recycling Program Launched

DeKalb County's annual “Bring One for the Chipper” recycling initiative is in full swing and will run through Jan. 18, 2014.

DeKalb County Sanitation and Keep DeKalb Beautiful continue to support Christmas tree recycling, also known as Treecycling and ask homeowners to recycle their trees after the holidays through the sanitation department's curbside pickup, or by drop-off at the Seminole Road Landfill — 4203 Clevemont Road, Ellenwood, Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sat., 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

DeKalb residents receiving sanitation services are encouraged to place Christmas trees at the curb for pick-up, at no additional charge, on their regular collection day for recycling and yard trimmings. Trees more than 7-feet in length must be cut in half before pickup to ensure safe placement into the recycling vehicle by Sanitation employees since collection is done by hand. Residents are also are urged to remove Christmas lights and ornaments from trees as these items are considered a contamination and are not compostable. Trees that cannot be cut down to 4-feet or less can be taken directly to the Seminole Landfill for composting.

The recycled trees will be turned into chipped mulch or compost. Mulch and compost is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials.  DeKalb Sanitation provides this compost free to the public at four public locations. DeKalb County residents can pick up compost, by hand, throughout the year at no cost at the following locations:

1. Northern Avenue and Memorial Drive: 4380 Memorial Drive located next to the Tax Commissioner's Office (Open: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Mon.-Fri.)
2. North Transfer Station: 4600 Buford Highway, Chamblee, GA 30341 (Open: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mon.–Fri. and 7 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sat.)
3. Seminole Road Landfill: 4203 Clevemont Road, Ellenwood, GA 30294 (Open: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri. and 8 a.m.–4 p.m. on Sat.)
4. East Transfer Station: 1750 Rogers Lake Road, Lithonia, GA 30058 (Open: 7 a.m.–5 p.m., Mon.–Fri.)

Through DeKalb Sanitation, Keep DeKalb Beautiful recycles an average of 10,000 trees each year. In 2012, more than 200,000 trees were recycled throughout Georgia and used in places from flower beds to fish habitat.

For more information, or to volunteer for KDB’s beautification efforts, call 404.371.2654 or e-mail: kdb@dekalbcountyga.gov.