For Eye on the Environment 12-30-18
Christmas Treecycling and Extra trash set-outs allowed in many areas
By David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD
‘Twas the week after Christmas and in curbside carts Were trees of Christmas past, cut up in parts. Some areas allow whole tree collection from the street. Other residents must load trees in cars’ back seats, and they go to a drop-off to dispose a tree whole. There they also pick up mulch for weed control. Compost and mulch trees if you want to conserve give your tree new life as a way to observe.
Even though Christmas tree recycling is an annual ritual, differing rules, dates and deadlines in various parts of Ventura County can make collection and drop off confusing. The advertisements, fliers, and other outreach from each recycling hauler and each city recycling program are seen by residents of other areas.
Other than mulching a tree on site, the best “treecycling” method for the environment, requiring the least amount of truck idling time and transportation, is for you to cut your tree into segments and fit the pieces into your regular curbside yard waste recycling cart. As long as your tree is free of decorations, stands, or other items, it will be mulched with your other yard clippings. Fire-proofed trees should be placed in garbage carts rather than yard waste carts.
If you will not cut your tree to fit into your cart, check your city’s web site, your refuse hauler’s web site, or call the phone number on your trash bill to find out whether and when homes in your area are allowed to set out whole trees by the curb. Whole tree collection is currently scheduled only for the following specified areas: Harrison & Sons and Waste Management GI Industries will collect whole trees without a charge in unincorporated areas (communities outside city boundaries) from December 26 to January 4. These same haulers also provide free whole tree collection in the cities of Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, and Moorpark December 26 through January 11.
Port Hueneme offers whole tree curbside collection December 31 to January 10, and Oxnard offers collection through January 25. For whole tree collection, set out your tree on your regular collection day alongside curbside carts. Trees over six feet in length should be cut in half.
If you set out a tree after a deadline or in an area without free collection, you will be charged for special collection unless you make separate arrangements. In most areas, you can make these arrangements by calling your refuse collector and requesting your annually allocated “free bulky item collection.”
For businesses, homes without curbside yard waste service, and apartments without yard waste collection bins, Christmas treecycling drop-off sites are available between December 26 and January 18 at the following sites: Agromin Organics, 6859 Arnold Road, near Oxnard; Agromin’s corporate office, at 201 Kinetic Drive, in Oxnard; Peach Hill Soils’ retail site at Performance Nursery, at 6101 East Los Angeles Avenue, in Somis; and Peach Hill Soils compost site, at 10765 West Los Angeles Avenue, near Moorpark. The Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center, 2801 Madera Road, allows free tree drop off through January 19. Del Norte, Agromin, and Peach Hill offer free bags of mulch or compost to residents dropping off trees.
Additionally, Moorpark provides its residents with a free drop-off location on Marquette Street at Park Crest Lane December 26 to January 4.
Oxnard and Port Hueneme residents may drop off trees free at the Del Norte Regional Recycling and Transfer Station through January 27 (use the roll-off container next to the buyback center, off Del Norte Blvd.) or at four other location on Saturdays only during that period.
On January 12, the city of Ventura will host a cleanup event for Ventura residents, including free tree drop-off.
In most areas, residents can also put out extra trash following Christmas. For example, residents of unincorporated areas can set out two extra 50-gallon bags for the two weeks following Christmas. Moorpark residents can set out up to four extra bags of trash or recycling until January 5 at no extra charge.
