Eco-tip: How and where to recycle your Christmas tree in Ventura County
David Goldstein, Special to Ventura County Star Published 2:51 p.m. PT Dec. 28, 2019 | Updated 4:51 p.m. PT Dec. 28, 2019
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 or refuse hauler’s website 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 for these areas:
- Harrison & Sons and Waste Management GI Industries collection of whole trees without a charge in unincorporated areas started Dec. 26 and continues through Jan. 10. These same haulers also provide free whole tree collection on regular days of collection in the cities of Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Moorpark through Jan. 10.
- Similarly, Athens Services provides whole tree curbside collection in Santa Paula through Jan. 10.
- Port Hueneme offers whole tree curbside collection Jan. 6-13, and Oxnard offers collection through Jan. 25. For whole tree collection, remove decorations and stands, then set out your tree on your regular collection day alongside curbside carts. Trees over 6 feet in height 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 tree recycling drop-off sites have been available since Dec. 26 and will be free through Jan. 10 at the following locations:
- Agromin Organics, 6859 Arnold Road, near Oxnard.
- Agromin’s corporate office, 201 Kinetic Drive, Oxnard.
- Peach Hill Soils’ retail site at Performance Nursery, at 6101 E. Los Angeles Ave., Somis.
- Peach Hill Soils compost site, 10765 W. Los Angeles Ave., near Moorpark.
Agromin, and Peach Hill offer free bags of mulch or compost to residents dropping off trees at their locations.
Here are some other options:
- The Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center, 2801 Madera Road, allows free tree drop-off through Jan. 18.
- Moorpark provides its residents with a free drop-off location on Marquette Street at Park Crest Lane through Jan. 10.
- Santa Paula’s downtown train station drop-off is open through Jan. 12.
- Oxnard and Port Hueneme residents may drop off trees free at the Del Norte Regional
Recycling and Transfer Station during open hours through Jan. 25 (use the roll-off container next to the buyback center, off Del Norte Boulevard) or at two other locations on Saturdays only during that period. Del Norte offers a free bag of mulch or compost to those dropping off trees.
- On Jan. 25, 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 after Christmas. For example, residents of unincorporated areas get free collection of up to two extra 50-gallon bags on their day of collection through Jan. 10. Moorpark residents can set out up to three extra bags of trash or recycling at no extra charge through Jan. 8.
