BALTIMORE — As the holiday season concludes, you may be contemplating the best way to dispose of your Christmas tree.
Before you think about recycling, it’s essential to remove all ornaments, tinsel, and decorations prior to drop-off.
Here’s what you need to know about recycling Christmas trees in various regions of the state:
Baltimore City
The Department of Public Works (DPW) will provide free mulching services for Christmas trees from Friday, December 26, 2025, until Saturday, February 7, 2026. This service will be available at the Sisson Street Residential Recycling Center.
Alternatively, residents can place their trees alongside their regular trash for collection until February 7.
Baltimore County
Baltimore County will conduct tree collections over a two-week period starting January 5. Pickup dates may differ depending on your location and are not pre-scheduled. Trees might not be collected on your regular trash or recycling day, so ensure you keep them out until collection occurs.
Please place your tree in the same spot where your trash is routinely collected.
To guarantee collection, trees must be put out by January 11.
Anne Arundel County
In Anne Arundel County, Christmas trees, along with natural garlands and wreaths, will be picked up before 6 a.m. on regular collection days. Alternatively, you can drop them off at any of the county’s recycling centers.
Howard County
Howard County is promoting tree recycling through its Merry Mulch initiative, which runs from December 26 to January 17. Residents with curbside yard trim collection can place their trees out for pickup on their designated yard trim collection day.
Once curbside yard trim collection concludes, trees can still be placed out for trash collection, but they will then be sent to a landfill.
Harford County
In Harford County, yard trim drop-off sites are available Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, click here.
Carroll County
Residents can drop off their trees at any of the county’s recycling centers. Please note that artificial trees are not accepted.
Frederick County
In Frederick County, you can bring live Christmas trees to the Reichs Ford Road recycling facility, open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This service will be available from December 20 through January 31.
