A naturally grown Christmas tree can serve as a festive backdrop throughout the holidays, but once the needles start dropping it’s time to consider either reusing or recycling your tree. Christmas trees can be repurposed as a backyard habitat for wintering birds and other creatures, or you can use a few small branches for an outdoor fire pit.
When it comes to finding a simple way of removing your Christmas tree from your home, Hampton Roads residents may contribute to a seasonal recycling program where they can place their naturally grown Christmas tree on the curb for collection or drop off their tree at a specified collection area. In order to be eligible for recycling, make sure your tree is free or ornaments, tinsel, strands and lights. See the list below provided by askHRgreen.org to find out how and when your city or county will collect and accept your naturally grown Christmas tree.
Chesapeake
Through Jan. 12: Trees will be picked up on your regular trash collection day and will be mulched or composted. Place tree separately from bulk waste and regular trash cans so it can be easily collected. Please do not bag or put netting around it.
Gloucester
Through Feb. 28: Christmas trees may be placed in the brush container at any of the following Gloucester County Convenience Centers during regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Trees will be mulched along with other yard debris and may be picked up free of charge at the main landfill location.
- Middle Peninsula Landfill and Recycling Center – 3714 Waste Management Way (entrance on Route 17)
- Belroi – 5122 Hickory Ford Rd.
- Dutton – 10430 Burke’s Pond Rd.
- Court House – 6500 Beehive Dr.
- Hayes – 7599 Guinea Rd.
Hampton
Ongoing: Trees will be picked up at curbside on regular trash collection day. Do not bag or put netting around it. Residents can also bring trees to be recycled at the Yard Waste Transfer Site located at 100 N. Park Lane from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Trees will be mulched or composted at the VPPSA Composting Facility, where they will later be available for purchase.
Isle of Wight
Ongoing: Natural Christmas trees can be recycled at any of Isle of Wight’s Refuse & Recycling Centers.
James City County
Through Jan. 31: Natural trees can be recycled at any of the James City County Convenience Centers. Trees will be composted.
Newport News
Ongoing: Natural trees are recyclable as regular brush, and may be placed on the curb as brush collection. Please remove the root ball and any non-natural decorations including tinsel and lights. Place tree in a brush pile separate from any bulk trash being set out. Christmas trees (live or artificial) may also be brought to the Recovery Operations Center located at 550 Atkinson Way. Natural trees will be composted or mulched.
Norfolk
Through Jan. 31: Natural trees may be placed at the curb for mulching on your regular trash collection day. Natural trees can also be dropped off at the City’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center located at 1176 Pineridge Road, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Poquoson
Through Jan. 20: Residents can drop off natural trees to be composted at the Municipal Pool Parking Lot located at 16 Municipal Drive. Trees will be mulched or composted at the VPPSA Composting Facility located at 145 Goodwin Neck Road. Mulch and compost are available for purchase by the public at the composting facility.
Portsmouth
Ongoing: Natural trees may be placed at the curb for pickup on your regular trash collection day. Trees will be taken to the City Landfill and mulched.
Smithfield
Through Jan. 11: Please contact Kathy Bew-Jones at 757-365-4200 or kjones@smithfieldva.gov and provide your address if you have a Christmas tree to be picked up at curbside. Trees will be mulched.
Suffolk
Through Jan. 5: Christmas trees will be handled as normal, curbside debris. During this period, collections will not count against your 12 free bulk pickup collections.
Surry County
Jan. 1–31: Trees may be dropped off at the Surry County Collection Centers listed below.
- Goodson Path Solid Waste Station – 409 Goodson Path, Dendron
- Pineview Solid Waste Station – 101 Pineview Rd., Waverly
- Mantura Road Solid Waste Station – 60 Mantura Rd., Surry
Virginia Beach
Ongoing: Trees will be picked up during normal trash collection day. Trees may be placed at curbside or the Virginia Beach Landfill and Resource Recovery Center located at 1989 Jake Sears Rd. with proof of residency. All trees and yard debris will be mulched.
Williamsburg
Jan. 2, 8: The City Crews will be collecting Christmas trees at curbside on Tuesday, Jan. 2 and Monday, Jan. 8. Trees must be placed at the curb before 7 a.m. and should be free of the stand, ornaments and lights. Please place separately from bulk waste and regular trash. Trees will be mulched.
York County
Jan. 8–12: Trees must be at curb by 7 a.m. on Jan. 4 for collection that week. For all York County residents, including non-subscribers, Christmas trees are accepted throughout January at the VPPSA Compost Facility located at 145 Goodwin Neck Road, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
