Christmas Tree Recycling

DELMARVA - With Christmas days away, Delmarva residents will soon be faced with the question of what to do with their Christmas trees once the holiday is over. Luckily, there are various eco-friendly options across Delmarva.

According to Maryland’s Department of the Environment, about 40 million Christmas trees are sold in the United States each year. Those trees can be used for mulch, soil erosion barriers, and various other environmentally-friendly uses. 

Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control also encourages Delawareans to keep trees out of landfills and instead bring them to a yard waste recycling sites. Tree mulch is useful for conserving and enhancing soil by holding in carbon that fertilizes soil and keeps it moist, according to DNREC. Composting or mulching on site is the best way to handle most yard waste, DNREC also says.

In Virginia, the Department of Conservation and Recreation also touts mulching trees and using that mulch around the house. Virginia DCR urges that only live trees that were sourced locally be used for mulch, as non-native invasive insects can be introduced from the mulch or dead and decaying trees.

Check the following links for complete lists of where you can recycle your trees on Delmarva:

Delaware

Maryland

Virginia (Yard waste accepted at Painter and Grangeville only)