Looking to get rid of a Christmas tree in Chicago? See full list of city's recycling locations

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's a true win-win situation for the people of Chicago and the environment around them.

The city is now offering up locations for residents to drop off their holiday trees instead of disposing them incorrectly.

"It's tremendous," said Mark Ouweleen.

The city has done this since 1990, and it is a huge help to nourish the soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since then, the program has turned more than 285,000 trees into mulch. Nearly 20,000 trees were recycled last year.

Recycling these trees keeps them away from the waste stream, and creates mulch for city residents and local parks

"This is an awesome time of year. I mean, what else can you ask for?" said Malcolm Whiteside. "It's the worst case scenario for a tree to end up in a landfill... we'll take it, mulch it, and mulch it up... we'll get that nice pine smell that you want."

There are 26 locations where you can now take your tree across Chicago, and you'll have until Jan. 21 to do so. Some of those locations are even letting you take the mulch home with you.

"You can actually take that pine and use it in the plants around your house, so there's a lot of good environmental things you can do," Whiteside said.

Residents are relieved to get that tree out of the house while also benefiting the environment around them.

"In the old days, people would just send trees to the landfill, and you know, it's sad to see the tree go," Ouweleen said. "That makes it even worse, but when you know it's going to be turned into mulch, and people are going to come here, and pick up compost and mulch, it's great. It's a win-win."

For more information, call 311 or visit recyclebycity.com/chicago. Only trees are accepted at these 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.

Full list of recycling locations:

• Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.

• Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.

• Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.

• Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave.

• Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Dr.

• Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave.

• Jackson Park Fieldhouse Parking Lot, off S. Cornell Ave.

• Kennedy Park, 2427 W. 113th St.

• Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.

• Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.

• Lincoln Park, Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave. (East Side of Cannon Dr.)

• Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Dr.

• Mahalia Jackson Park, 8385 S. Birkhoff Ave.

• Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.

• McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd.

• Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.

• North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.

• Norwood Park (Service Yard), 5800 N. Avondale Ave.

• Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.

• Riis Park, 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.

• Rowan Park, 11546 S. Avenue L

• Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.

• Walsh Park, 1722 N. Ashland Ave.

• Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.

• Wentworth Park, 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.

• West Chatham Park, 8223 S. Princeton Ave.

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