New York City has made it easier than ever to recycle real Christmas trees, dropping the old limited pickup schedule and allowing residents to set trees out on their regular curbside composting and recycling day. The change comes as part of the city’s expanded citywide curbside composting program, which treats trees just like other yard waste and organic materials that are turned into finished compost or renewable energy.
Before putting your tree at the curb, make sure it is naked by removing all decorations, lights, ornaments, tinsel and the tree stand. Trees with anything left on them can not be composted and may be rejected by collectors. Trees should be placed next to other compostable materials on the designated day you normally set out yard waste or recycling. Do not wrap your tree in plastic bags.
If you have an artificial tree, you should take it apart first. Remove the metal base and trunk and set those parts out with your other metal recycling on your regular recycling day. The rest of the artificial tree can be disposed of as trash if it cannot be recycled.
In addition to curbside composting, the city’s Parks Department offers Mulchfest, an annual tree recycling tradition that runs from December 26, 2025 through January 11, 2026. At Mulchfest drop off locations in parks across the five boroughs, you can bring your undecorated tree to be chipped into wood chips that will nourish trees and green spaces throughout the city.
Many Mulchfest sites also host a chipping weekend in early January where volunteers and participants can receive a bag of mulch for personal use while helping turn trees into a resource that benefits the urban canopy. Details on specific locations and hours for Mulchfest can be found on the NYC Parks website.
Recycling real Christmas trees instead of leaving them on the sidewalk or sending them to landfills has real environmental and community benefits. Trees collected through curbside composting or Mulchfest are turned into compost or mulch, which enriches soil and supports gardens, parks and street trees throughout the city. Every little bit helps so it is important we all do our part to make the city a healthier place.
