Chicago and surrounding suburbs have tree recycling programs operating through January.
Chicago
Residents can drop off real trees at one of 27 parks throughout the city from Jan. 6-20.
For more information, call 311 or visit recyclebycity.com/chicago for a full list of drop-off addresses. Only trees are accepted at the sites - no wreaths or garland.
Six locations - Lincoln Park, Margate Park, Mount Greenwood Park, North Park Village, Warren Park and the Forestry site - will have free mulch available for pickup on a limited basis beginning Jan. 10.
All trees must be free of ornaments, tinsel, lights or flocking. Plastic bags used for transport must be removed before placing trees in the stalls.
Chicago's Christmas tree recycling program was organized by the Department of Streets and Sanitation and the Chicago Park District in 1990.
The program recycled over 20,000 trees last year.
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Lake County (IL)
Lake County Forest Preserves will accept tree drop offs from 6:30 am to sunset daily, through February 1.
List of drop-off locations:
- Grant Woods Forest Preserve, 25405 W. Monaville Road, Ingleside
- Greenbelt Forest Preserve, 1110 Green Bay Road, North Chicago
- Half Day Forest Preserve, 24255 Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills
- Heron Creek Forest Preserve, 22890 N. Old McHenry Road, Lake Zurich
- Lakewood Forest Preserve, 27277 Forest Preserve Road, Wauconda
- Old School Forest Preserve, 28285 St. Mary's Road, Mettawa
- Ryerson Conservation Area 21950 N. Riverwoods Road, Riverwoods
- Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve, 15838 W. Route 173, Wadsworth