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Christmas tree recycling

Every year, Islington Council collects and recycles residents' real Christmas trees from collection points or directly from council estates and properties. Don't let your real Christmas tree go to waste after the festive season, recycle it. You can also recycle or donate your artificial Christmas tree and lights.

How to recycle real Christmas trees

However you recycle your real Christmas tree, you must:

  • remove all decorations including the base from the tree
  • not dump your Christmas tree on the pavement or at public recycling sites.

We only collect real Christmas trees.

Take it to a drop-off recycling point

Drop-off points are located in parks and will be open between Tuesday 2 January to Sunday 14 January 2024. You can drop off your real Christmas tree at the following locations:

  • Elthorne Park
  • King’s Square Gardens
  • Rosemary Gardens
  • Wray Crescent, park end
  • Spa Fields, off Northampton Road
  • Tufnell Park, Campdale Road
  • Highbury Crescent, next to playground entrance
  • Paradise Park, Lough Road / Mackenzie Road entrance

The Reuse and Recycling Centre, Hornsey Street also accepts green waste and Christmas trees all year round.

These recycling points are for residents only. They should not be used for commercial waste and we will treat it as flytipping and take action if businesses, traders and organisations try to use them. CCTV cameras are in operation.

Recycling Christmas trees as a business

Businesses must make separate arrangements for trees collection. Please contact 020 7527 2000 to book and pay for a bulk collection of your Christmas trees for recycling between between Tuesday 2 January to Sunday 14 January 2024.

Collection from your home

If you live on a street property

Leave your real tree with the rest of your recycling on your property on your scheduled recycling day. Details of dates to come soon. Or you can take it to one of the drop off recycling points in parks.

If you live in an Islington Council estate

If your estate has a lumber point, please put your tree there.

There will be two special tree collections on:

  • Saturday 6 January
  • Saturday 13 January 2024.

After these dates, you can still leave your tree at the lumber point and it will be collected, but it may not be recycled.

If your estate does not have a lumber point, please put your tree with your estate recycling bins. Details of dates to come soon.

If you live in a flat above a shop

Leave your tree at your normal rubbish collection point. Details of dates to come soon.

If you live in a private or non-Islington Council housing block

Please contact 020 7527 2000 to book and pay for a bulk recycling collection for your Christmas trees.

What to do with artificial Christmas trees

Most artificial trees are made in China, with the dual environmental impact of being made from plastic, PVC and metal, and then shipped overseas. According to the Carbon Trust a two-metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg, more than ten times that of a real tree that is burned after Christmas.

If you buy an artificial tree, choose one you will use every year for a long time. An artificial tree that you use for many years - from seven to 20 Christmases, depending on the tree - is better for the environment than buying a new, commercially-grown tree every year.

If you don't need your artificial Christmas tree, you can:

How to recycle Christmas tree lights 

Recycle non-reusable Christmas lights by securely packaging them and taking to a street electricals collection bank or to the Reuse and Recycling Centre on Hornsey Street.

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