Christmas, sadly, cannot last forever. Once the festive season is over and your real tree is no longer needed, don’t just throw it out. Recycle it. A real Christmas tree left in landfill will take up to ten years to break down. Recycled trees are put through a chipper and turned into mulch, which can then be used to feed new trees. The circle of life.
Most councils will offer a recycling service. Many will collect your tree from outside your home on specific days or will have facilities where you can drop yours off (obviously you’ll need to remove all decorations and lights first).
Exact information on your local council’s recycling plans is usually announced closer to New Year, but you can find up to date information on what your area offers here, or check your local authority website.
Recycling your tree makes a real tree an even greener option. The Carbon Trust found that real trees are much more environmentally friendly than fake trees. A fake tree has a carbon footprint of roughly 40kg of CO2. A real tree's is only 3.5kg. So real trees are officially much better for the planet. Your recycled tree might even be used to feed your future Christmas trees.
