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County Aids Recycling Of Christmas Trees

SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF REPORT

Published: December 24, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Once all the gifts are unwrapped, the holiday meal is eaten and guests have returned home, residents should remember another post-Christmas holiday tradition to recycle Christmas trees, a Pasco County official says.

Trees are put through a wood chipper and then used for mulch in area parks, Jennifer Seney, Pasco County's recycling coordinator, explains.

"I have copies of old news articles dating back as far as 1995 that indicate this is a recycling tradition," Seney said in a press release.

The word is getting out, according to statistics. In 2005, Pasco recycled 380 trees. That number rose to 1,406 in 2006. Last year, 2,423 Christmas trees were recycled.

The mulch from the trees has many different uses, Seney says, such as covering hiking paths, weed control and landscaping accents, to name a few.

Decaying trees can make excellent wildlife habitats if utilized in a brush pile, Seney noted. "Of course this only works where the homeowner has the space and time to let nature take its course," she emphasized.

The Pasco Christmas tree recycling drive runs from Dec. 26 through Jan 5. Remove all tinsel, metal hooks and decorations from the Christmas tree and drop it off at collection sites during normal business hours.

West Pasco has three main sites where people can drop off Christmas trees:

• Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road, Hudson.

• Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Road, New Port Richey.

• Anclote Gulf Park, 2305 Baillie's Bluff Road, Holiday.

Other area locations include:

• PAW Materials, 14211 S.R. 54, Odessa.

• Hayes Road Sand Company, 13838 Hays Road, Spring Hill.

• West Pasco Resource Recovery Facility, 14230 Hays Road, Spring Hill.

• Shady Hills Park, 15840 Green Glen Lane, Spring Hill.

Seney is also reminding residents to put their recyclables in blue bags and place them at the curb to be picked up by trash haulers. Blue bag pickup schedules vary among haulers.

Residents can recycle metal food cans, aluminum cans, clear, green and brown glass bottles and jars, and plastic containers coded No. 1 and No. 2.

For information telephone Seney at 727-847-8041 or at e-mail her at jseney@pascocountyfl.net.

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