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
- Only leave real Christmas trees
- Not dump your Christmas tree on the pavement or at public recycling sites.
Take it to a drop-off recycling point
Drop-off points are located in parks and will be open between Monday 2 January to Tuesday 17 January 2023. You can drop off your real Christmas tree at the following locations:
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Elthorne Park N19
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King Square Gardens EC1V
The Reuse and Recycling Centre, Hornsey Street also accepts green waste and Christmas trees all year round.
Please note that these recycling points are for resident use only. They are not to be used for commercial waste and enforcement action will be taken if commercial operators try to use them. Use by traders or commercial enterprises will be classed as fly-tipping. CCTV cameras are in operation. Businesses must make separate arrangements for their trees to be collected. Please contact 020 7527 2000 to arrange a chargeable bulk collection of your Christmas trees for recycling between Tuesday 3 January and Saturday 14 January 2023.
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. We will collect it on your normal recycling collection day between Tuesday 3 January and Saturday 14 January 2023. 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 7 January and Saturday 14 January 2023. After this date, you can still leave your tree at the lumber point, however it will not necessarily be recycled.
If your estate does not have a lumber point, please put your tree with your estate recycling bins. We will collect on your normal recycling collection day between Tuesday 3 January and Saturday 14 January 2023.
If you live in a flat above a shop
Leave your tree at your normal rubbish collection point on Wednesday 4 January for collection on Thursday 5 January 2023.
If you live in a private/non-Islington Council housing block
Please contact 020 7527 2000 to arrange a chargeable bulk recycling of your Christmas trees, for collection between Tuesday 3 January and Saturday 14 January 2023.
How to recycle 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 choose to buy an artificial tree, buy one that you will use year after year. An artificial tree used over multiple years (seven to 20 times depending on the tree), is better for the environment than buying a new, commercially grown tree every year.
If you no longer require your artificial Christmas tree you can:
- Donate your unwanted item
- Take it to the Reuse and Recycling Centre.
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.