Natural Christmas trees are beautiful decorations in our homes, and after the holidays, they can continue to beautify our communities as mulch in our public spaces. Over the next few weeks, Hampton Roads residents may contribute to this seasonal recycling program when they place their naturally-grown Christmas trees on the curb or drop the trees off at specified collection areas.

“Recycling your Christmas tree is a nice way to extend its life,” said Julia B. Hillegass, public information and community affairs administrator for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and askHRgreen.org team leader. “Most localities chip the trees into mulch that is then used to up spruce up plantings around the city or county.”

Trees should be free of any ornaments, tinsel or stands. As of this date, the following cities and counties have posted their schedules.

Chesapeake

When: Dec. 26–Jan. 9
Where: Trees will be picked up on the regular trash collection day. Trees picked up after Jan. 2 will be recycled. If possible, please hold off until Jan. 3 to put your tree out for collection.
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights. Place it separately from bulk waste and regular trash so it can be easily collected. Please do not put in a bag or put netting around it.

Gloucester

When: Ongoing
Where: Residents may bring their Christmas trees to any Gloucester County Convenience Center during regular hours. See the list below for locations. Trees should be placed in the brush container and trees will be mulched along with other brush.
• Middle Peninsula Landfill and Recycling Center – 3714 Waste Management Way (Entrance on Route 17). The Convenience Center at the Landfill operates on the same schedule as the other County Convenience Centers: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Belroi – 5122 Hickory Ford Road
• Dutton – 10430 Burke’s Pond Road
• Court House – 6550 Beehive Drive
• Hayes – 7599 Guinea Road
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights.

Hampton

When: Ongoing
Where: Trees will be picked up at curbside on regular trash collection day. Residents can also bring naturally grown trees to be recycled at the Yard Waste Transfer Site, 100 N. Park Lane (off Big Bethel Road at entrance to Bethel Landfill) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday – Saturday (closed city holidays).
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights. Place natural trees separate from bulk waste and regular trash. Do not put in a bag or put netting around it. Artificial trees can be disposed of at curbside as part of the bulk waste. Artificial trees should not be placed with leaves, grass or tree branches.

Isle of Wight

When: Ongoing
Where: Natural Christmas trees can be recycled at one of Isle of Wight’s eight convenience centers (listed below).
• Camptown Convenience Center
34010 Carver Road, Franklin | Phone: (757) 516-2850
Open Sunday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Closed Tuesday and Thursday
• Carroll Bridge Convenience Center
17634 Carroll Bridge Road, Windsor | Phone: (757) 356-1018
Open every day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Crocker’s Convenience Center
9421 Whispering Pines Trail, Windsor | Phone: (757) 356-1026
Open every day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Walters Convenience Center
3403 Burdette Road, Carrsville | Phone: (757) 516-2852
Open every day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Carrsville Convenience Center
6135 Carrsville Highway, Carrsville | Phone: (757) 516-2851
Open every day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Jones Creek Convenience Center
21203 Boundary Road, Carrollton | Phone: (757) 356-1037
Open every day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Stave Mill Convenience Center
23254 Stave Mill Road, Windsor | Phone: (757) 242-3597
Open every day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wrenn’s Mill Convenience Center
8196 Old Stage Highway, Smithfield | Phone: (757) 356-1040
Open every day 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights.

James City County

When: Dec. 26–Jan. 31
Where: James City County’s three convenience centers (listed below).
• Jolly Pond Road
1204 Jolly Pond Road
Open every day 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tewning Road
117 Tewning Road
Sunday – Closed
Monday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Tuesday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Toano
185 Industrial Boulevard (Hankins Industrial Park)
Open every day 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights.

Newport News

When: Ongoing
Where: Christmas trees can be brought to the Recovery Operations Center (formerly the Denbigh Compost Facility), located at 550 Atkinson Way off Warwick Boulevard, Monday – Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Artificial trees cannot be accepted for mulching, but can be disposed of in the trash container. For those who are unable to bring their trees to the Recovery Operations Center, natural trees can be placed in a brush pile separate from any bulk trash being set out on each area’s normal bulk waste collection day. To find your normal bulk waste collection day, please visit https://www.nngov.com/public-works/sw/resources/schedule, or call 757-933-2311.
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights.

Norfolk

When: Ongoing
Where: Trees will be picked up at curbside to be recycled on regular trash collection day as part of yard waste collection. Residents can also bring natural trees to the City’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center, 1176 Pineridge Road. The Center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, go to www.norfolktrash.com.
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights.

Poquoson

When: Dec. 26–Jan. 21
Where: Residents can drop off natural trees to be recycled at the Municipal Pool Parking Lot or the VPPSA Compost Facility (locations listed below).
• Municipal Pool Parking Lot
16 Municipal Drive, Poquoson
• VPPSA Compost Facility
145 Goodwin Neck Road, York County
Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m, Closed Sundays
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights.

Portsmouth

When: Ongoing
Where: Curbside; residents may place their tree at the curb for pickup on their normal trash collection day.
What to know: Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel, garland and lights.

Smithfield

When: Dec.24 – Jan. 16
What to know: Contact Alexandra Pearson at 365-4200 or [email protected] and provide your address if you have a Christmas tree to be picked up. Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights.

Suffolk

What to know: Tree are not recycled, but residents can put them out for disposal for two weeks after Christmas with their regular trash and the collection will not be deducted from their (12) annual free bulk collections.

Virginia Beach

When: Normal trash collection day
Where: Curbside or the City Landfill and Resource Recovery Center at 1989 Jake Sears Road with proof of residency.
What to know: Christmas trees will be handled as normal yard debris and need to be free of any decorations or tinsel. Trees collected curbside will be processed into compost. Trees dropped off at the City Landfill and Resource Recovery Center will be ground into mulch.

Williamsburg

When: Jan. 6th and 13th
What to know: The City Crews will be collecting Christmas trees on Monday, January 6, 2014 and Monday, January 13, 2014. Trees must be placed at the curb before 7:00 a.m. and should be free of the stand, ornaments and lights. Please place separately from bulk waste and regular trash.

York County

When: Week of Jan. 6
Where: Natural trees will be picked up curbside for recycling only during the week of Jan. 6. Otherwise, trees can be brought to the VPPSA Compost Facility (location listed below) year-round.
• VPPSA Compost Facility
145 Goodwin Neck Road, York County
Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Closed Sundays
What to know: Trees should be placed roadside by 7:00 a.m. on Monday for collection by the end of the week. Tree should be free of the stand, ornaments, tinsel and lights