WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. - The day after Christmas marks the start of Worcester County’s annual Christmas tree recycling program, giving residents a free option to dispose of live trees while keeping them out of the regular trash stream.
Worcester County Public Works says residents can drop off live Christmas trees from Dec. 26 through Jan. 31 at the Central Landfill in Newark, as well as the Homeowners Convenience Centers in Berlin, Pocomoke and Snow Hill. The county’s announcement says the drop-off is available at no cost to residents during the collection window.
In Ocean City, town officials are again offering a separate drop-off option earlier in the season. The town says live trees can be placed at the northeast corner of the 100th Street Municipal Parking Lot between Dec. 26 and Jan. 15. Ocean City’s Public Works Department says trees collected from that site are taken to the county landfill for recycling.
Worcester County Recycling Coordinator Bob Keenan said the recycling program helps turn a seasonal cleanup task into a usable material at the landfill. “So we will grind up the Christmas trees that come in and mulch them,” Keenan said. “And then when we have weather events on the landfill, we use the mulch for traction.”
County officials say the most important step for residents is preparing trees before drop-off. Keenan said people should remove ornaments and lights. Ocean City Public Works also asks residents to remove tinsel and other non-wood items before leaving trees at the 100th Street drop site.
The county says the program is intended for live trees only, with artificial trees needing to be disposed of as trash. The Central Landfill’s posted hours are Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the county advises residents to use the homeowners convenience centers during normal operating hours.
Keenan also said recycling Christmas trees supports Worcester County’s recycling performance. He said the program counts toward the county’s recycling rate that is reported to the state.
The Ocean City drop-off site ends Jan. 15, while the countywide program continues through Jan. 31.
