Thinking of throwing away your Christmas tree? Try recycling it instead

The presents have been opened, the roasts have been eaten and soon — perhaps even today — it will be time to take down the Christmas tree.

If you opted for a live tree this year, you may be thinking of bringing it to the curb for garbage collectors to take it to the landfill. But there’s another option.

Dozens of locations in metro Atlanta will recycle your Christmas tree into mulch if you drop it off free of tinsel, decorations, lights and tree stands.

Last year, more than 37,000 trees were recycled across the state through annual Bring One for the Chipper events, according to the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation. The vast majority of them were recycled into mulch for playgrounds, homes and local government landscaping projects, while some were used in lakes for fish habitats. The foundation has diverted more than 6 million trees from landfills since 1991, it says.

Volunteers haul trees during Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful's Bring One for the Chipper event in January 2024. Courtesy of Gwinnett County

Alongside Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, organizations in Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton and Rockdale counties all have drop-off locations to recycle your tree, and some will even give you tree seedlings in return.

If you need your tree picked up in Smyrna, Mableton or Marietta, the Campbell High School baseball team will come and pick it up for you as part of its annual fundraiser for a suggested donation of $25.

Christmas Tree Drop-off Locations

Here is where and when you can drop off your tree to be mulched in metro Atlanta:

Acworth

• Home Depot: 3355 Cobb Parkway, Acworth, 30101; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Alpharetta

• Home Depot: 5300 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta, 30004; Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Atlanta

• Home Depot: 2450 Cumberland Parkway SE, Atlanta, 30339; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• CHaRM Atlanta: 1110 Hill Street SE, Atlanta, 30315; Dec. 28 to Jan. 25 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Home Depot: 2635 Peachtree Parkway, Atlanta, 30360; Jan. 4 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Home Depot: 2525 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, 30324; Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Home Depot: 650 Ponce De Leon Place NE, Atlanta, 30308; Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Home Depot: 1032 Research Center Drive SW, Atlanta, 30331; Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Austell

• Home Depot: 200 East-West Connector, Austell, 30106; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Avondale Estates

• Lake Street Drop-off: Lake Street & Washington Street, Avondale Estates, 30002; Jan. 18 from 9 a.m.-noon

Buford

• Fire Station 14: 1600 Highway 23, Buford, 30518; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 24: 2735 Mall of GA Blvd., Buford, 30519; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 29: 2800 Thompson Mill Rd., Buford, 30519; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Canton

• City of Canton Collection Site: 2525 Ridge Road, Canton, 30114; Dec. 27 and 28 from 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Jan. 2 to Jan. 4 from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

Chamblee

• Chamblee Public Works: 3210 Cumberland Drive, Chamblee, 30341; through Jan. 17 from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Monday to Friday, and Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-noon

Conyers

• Home Depot: 1330 Dogwood Drive SE, Conyers, 30012; Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-noon

Cumming

• Tolbert Street Recycling Convenience Center: 351 Tolbert Street, Cumming, 30040; through Jan. 25 (except for Jan. 1 and Jan. 2) on Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Coal Mountain Recycling Convenience Center: 3560 Settingdown Road, Cumming, 30028; through to Jan. 25 (except for Jan. 1 and Jan. 2) on Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Vickery Creek Elementary School: 6280 Post Road, Cumming, 30040; through to Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Home Depot: 1000 Market Place Boulevard, Cumming, 30041; Jan. 4 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Dacula

• Fire Station 17: 2739 Brooks Rd, SE, Dacula, 30019; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 27: 2825 Old Fountain Rd., Dacula, 30019; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Decatur

• CHaRM DeKalb: 1225 Columbia Drive, Decatur, 30032; Jan. 3 to Jan. 17 on Wednesdays, Jan. 18 to Jan. 24 on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Duluth

• Fire Station 5: 3001 Old Norcross Rd., Duluth, 30096; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 7: 3343 Bunton Rd., Duluth, 30096; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 19: 3275 N. Berkeley Lake Rd., Duluth, 30096; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Grayson

• Fire Station 8: 2295 Brannan Rd., Grayson, 30017; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Hoschton

• Fire Station 18: 1515 Mineral Springs Rd., Hoschton, 30548; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Johns Creek

• Home Depot: 5950 State Bridge Road, Johns Creek, 30097; Dec. 28 to Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Kennesaw

• Home Depot: 449 Roberts Court NW, Kennesaw, 30144; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Home Depot: 1655 Shiloh Road, Kennesaw, 30144; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Lawrenceville

• Fire Station 9: 1900 Five Forks to Trickum Rd., Lawrenceville, 30044; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 10: 1131 Rock Springs Rd., Lawrenceville, 30043; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 20: 1801 Cruse Rd., Lawrenceville, 30044; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 25: 3575 Lawrenceville Hwy., Lawrenceville, 30044; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 31: 1061 Collins Hill Rd., Lawrenceville, 30043; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Lilburn

• Fire Station 2: 12 Harmony Grove Road, Lilburn, 30047; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 3: 4394 Five Forks to Trickum Road, Lilburn, 30047; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 22: 2180 Stone Dr., Lilburn, 30047; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Lithia Springs

• Home Depot: 1000 Thornton Road, Lithia Springs, 30122; Jan. 6 from 10 a.m.-noon

Loganville

• Fire Station 28: 3725 Rosebud Rd, Loganville, 30052; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 30: 1052 Ozora Rd., Loganville, 30052; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Marietta

• Home Depot: 2350 Dallas Highway, Marietta, 30064; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Home Depot: 4101 Roswell Road NE, Marietta, 30062; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Home Depot: 3605 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, 30066; through Jan. 4 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Norcross

• Fire Station 1: 165 Lawrenceville Street, Norcross, 30071; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 11: 5885 Live Oak Pkwy., Norcross, 30093; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours
• Fire Station 23: 4355 Steve Reynolds Blvd., Norcross, 30093; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Peachtree City

• Rockaway Road Recycle Site: 100 Meade Field Drive, Peachtree City, 30269; Jan. 4 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Jan. 8 from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Peachtree Corners

• Fire Station 4: 5550 Spalding Drive; Peachtree Corners, 30092; through Jan. 22; open 24 hours

Riverdale

• Riverdale Town Center: 7210 Church Street; Riverdale, 30274; Jan. 4 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Roswell