Where to Recycle Christmas Trees and Lights in Houston

Hope you’ve all had a joyful holiday season! As we welcome 2024, you might be wondering what to do with all of the holiday stuff. If you’ve got a live tree that won’t survive a year-long hibernation or old holiday lights to discard, here are local recycling programs to consider: 

The City of Bellaire offers its Christmas Tree Recycling Program through Jan. 12. Drop trees at the corner of Edith Street and Baldwin Ave. 

City of Bellaire’s Christmas Tree Recycling
The City of Bellaire offers its Christmas Tree Recycling Program through Jan. 12. Details: Drop trees at the corner of Edith Street and Baldwin Ave. Remove all lights, ornaments, and tinsel. Place the tree near the recycling sign. No flocked trees will be accepted. Trees placed on the curb for regular trash pickup will not be recycled. Questions? Call Bellaire Public Works: 713-662-8170.

City of Houston’s Christmas Tree Recycling Program and Tree Mulching Event
Houston's Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) encourages residents to recycle live Christmas trees after the holiday season. Repurpose your Christmas tree into mulch or other landscape materials. SWMD has opened 23 residential Christmas tree drop-off recycling locations throughout Houston, which will remain open through Friday, Jan. 26. Find a list of locations here.
How to recycle your Christmas tree: Remove all lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, stands, and other non-organic decorative materials. Please note that flocked, artificial, or painted will not be recycled.
Christmas tree recycling is also available through the city's yard waste curbside collection program.
Save the Date: Friday, January 5, 2024, join Mayor John Whitmire, Council Members, SWMD, along with representatives from Reliant Energy, Living Earth, and the Houston Parks & Recreation Department for the 33rd Annual Treecycling event, at City Hall Reflection Pool, 11:30 a.m.

Recycle your old or broken holiday string lights at the Zoo’s main entrance until Jan. 7, 2024.

Houston Zoo’s Holiday Light Recycling 
Recycle your old or broken holiday string lights at the Zoo’s main entrance until Jan. 7, 2024. Over the past 6 years, 31,568 lbs. of holiday lights have been recycled at the Zoo! 

West U’s Christmas Tree and Holiday Light Recycling
Christmas Trees: The City of West U will collect Christmas trees for recycling through January 12, 2024. How to recycle your tree: Please place your tree, free of any foreign materials or objects (bulbs, lights, stands, etc.), curbside on your regular yard waste collection day. These trees will be taken to a local composter and recycled as mulch. Trees that are flocked or have ornaments, lights, stands, or any other foreign objects will not be accepted for recycling; those trees will be collected with your normal household trash and disposed of in the landfill.
Holiday lights: In conjunction with the Houston Zoo, the City of West U will be accepting holiday string lights for recycling at the following facilities through Jan. 12, 2024: West U City Hall (3800 University Blvd.); Public Works Offices (3826 Amherst St.); and the West U Recreation Center (4210 Bellaire Blvd.). Questions? Call Public Works at 713-662-5839.