It’s after Christmas and maybe you’re wondering what to do with the wilting, live tree in your living room. You might think about re-purposing the tree after the ornaments come down.
More people are recycling Christmas trees versus throwing them in a landfill, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
For some trees, that means being tossed into a lake.
“And they become fish habitat for bass and perch and stuff to spawn in the spring,” said Bill Ink, Christmas tree seller in Bloomington.
The National Christmas Tree Association’s website lists several habitat building sites that use old Christmas trees, including in Cook County.
His unsold trees at AB Hatchery end up at the bottom of the appropriately named Lake Evergreen.
Local governments are providing or looking for alternatives like this, says Doug Hundley with the Christmas tree association.
“They want to take all of the compostable or easy to biodegrade products out of the waste stream,” said Hundley.
He says people also are chopping up trees for firewood or turning trees into mulch.
TREE COLLECTION IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS
- Champaign: Jan. 13: Holiday Tree Collection Day – click here for details
- Danville: click here for details on disposing waste
- Macon County Christmas Tree & Lights Recycling: click here for details
- Urbana: Jan. 6-10, 2020 Christmas Tree Collection Week – click here for details
