Curb tree-toss enthusiasm: Go green & recycle, city says
With the Christmas holidays over, now, what are you going to do with your Christmas tree? Please, just don't take it to the curb, city officials said.
With the Christmas holidays over, now, what are you going to do with your Christmas tree?
Please, just don't take it to the curb, city officials said.
If you do, "We'll have to collect it as trash, and that's not good for the environment," Streets Department Deputy Commissioner Carlton Williams said yesterday.
Nor is it good for the city's finances, which are already burdened. Those trees would not only take up a lot of landfill space, but will cost the city extra dollars to dispose of the added bulk.
"We pay $63 a ton for trash," Williams said.
The city is hoping that residents will take the effort to pack up their trees - and maybe those of a neighbor or two as well - and take them to be recycled at one of three city collection areas:
63rd Street and Passyunk Avenue, in Southwest Philadelphia
State Road and Ashburner Street, in the Northeast
Domino Lane near Umbria Street, in Roxborough.
Williams said that people should remove all ornaments and garlands, and shouldn't bother to tie up the tree.
"Leave it in as natural a condition as possible," he said.
The trees will be turned into mulch that will be sold to private wholesalers.
Two neighborhood groups also will be accepting trees for recycling:
The Northern Liberties Neighbors Association will accept trees at Liberty Lands Park, near 3rd and Poplar streets, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Passyunk Square Civic Association will take trees Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at Gold Star Park, on Wharton Street between 6th and 7th. *
