Now that Christmas is over, New Yorkers have convenient options for disposing of their holiday trees, whether real or artificial. Thanks to the expansion of the city’s curbside composting program, real Christmas trees can be placed out with food scraps and yard waste on regularly scheduled compost and recycling days. Before disposal, residents should remove all stands and decorations; trees should not be placed in plastic bags. The Department of Sanitation will then chip the trees, mixing them with leaves to create compost for the city.
Artificial trees require a slightly different approach. Remove the metal base and trunk and place them with other metal recycling.
Alternatively, both real and artificial trees (though presumably only the real ones are actually mulched) can be recycled through NYC Parks’ annual Mulchfest. From December 26, 2024, to January 12, 2025, residents can bring their trees to designated Mulchfest locations citywide. These trees are then turned into wood chips used to enrich city trees and promote greenery. In 2023, over 46,000 trees were recycled through this program. Visit the NYC Parks website to find a Mulchfest location near you.