Time to Dispose of Christmas Trees — With Care

When is it time to take down and dispose of the Christmas tree? About now, says the National Fire Protection Association.

“Christmas trees are flammable objects. The longer they’re in your home, the more they dry out, making them a significant fire hazard,” said Lorraine Carli, the NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy.

The NFPA says that nearly 40 percent of home fires that begin with Christmas trees occur in January. Although these fires aren’t common, when they do occur, they’re more likely to be serious. On average, one of every 40 reported home structure Christmas tree fires resulted in a death, as compared to an average of one death per 142 total reported home structure fires.

If you receive Fairfax County curbside pickup of trash and recycling, you can recycle your live Christmas tree (less than 8 feet) on your normal collection date. The cost is included as part of your regular, paid collection service. 

If you are in a private Reston cluster, check with your cluster board or trash service provider to find out specifics for your neighborhood.

For larger trees, contact your collector for recycling instructions.

Christmas trees may also be recycled during the first two weeks in January at the I-66 Transfer Station. There is a small processing fee of $1 per tree. Please remove tree stands, ornaments, tinsel, lights and tree toppers before recycling.