After you undeck your halls, you can recycle your Christmas tree with BluBox or the city of Columbus.
Starting Monday, BluBox will accept undecorated trees at their offices at 2044 Highway 182 W. in Columbus.
An additional free drop box will be located at the Columbus Landfill at 2221 Armstrong Road. Trees can be dropped off at BluBox Recycling Plant from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with the exception of New Year”s Day.
“We want to make the community aware that we offer free wood waste recycling all year,” said Scott Hannon, owner of BluBox Recycling. “All we ask is that you remove all lights, ornaments and tinsel prior to dropping your tree off.”
Additionally, the Columbus Public Works Department will accept live Christmas trees at the city landfill on Armstrong Road Jan. 4-16 to deposit for recycling, according to Public Works Director Mike Pratt.
For no charge, the tree will be ground into mulch, and participants can then collect the remains of their trees and use the mulch for their home gardens.
Those enrolled in BluBox”s curbside recycling program also will have to drop off trees at either the recycling plant or Columbus Landfill. BluBox will not pick up trees curbside nor at its drop-box locations throughout the community.
Along with accepting trees at their location, BluBox expects to see an increase in many of the recyclables they collect from the curbside customers and drop boxes.
“Americans throw away approximately 25 percent more trash from Thanksgiving throughout New Year”s,” said Tim Howell, environmental director for BluBox. “We see a large amount of paper from gift wrap and Christmas cards, glass from holiday celebrations and e-waste as consumers receive new electronic gifts.”
BluBox offers curbside recycling to residents of Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee Counties as well as commercial and industrial trash and recycling services.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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