Beginning Friday, December 26, 2008 through Sunday, January 18, 2009, DSWM waste collection customers can drop off clean, undecorated Christmas trees at the DSWM’s 13 Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers and at a special drop-off area at the South Dade Landfill (24000 SW 97 Avenue) daily from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

In addition to Christmas tree drop-off, the DSWM will provide curbside collection of trees for service area residents for one week only beginning Wednesday, January 7 through Wednesday, January 14, 2009.  Trees free of tinsels, lights and other decorations should be placed at the curbside for collection. 

Clean trees collected at drop-off sites and during the week of curbside collection will be chipped in-house, and the mulch product will be distributed starting the third week of January to service area residents free-of-charge at designated sites while supplies.

“Recycling Christmas trees is a great way to help the environment, saves valuable landfill space and provides a free product that residents can use in small landscaping and gardening projects,” said Department of Solid Waste Management Kathleen Woods-Richardson.   “Christmas tree chips can be placed in plant beds, along garden paths or in potted plants and are a wonderful, fragrant reminder of the holiday season,” added Woods-Richardson.

For more information on the DSWM’s Christmas tree recycling program, drop-off locations or proper tree disposal options, residents can call the County’s Answer Center at 3-1-1 or visit the Department’s website at www.miamidade.gov/dswm.