Winter Recycling Tips

DID YOU KNOW?
By participating in Howard County's Merry Mulch Christmas tree recycling program you will help to keep hundreds of tons of waste out of our landfill each year. All recycled trees are delivered to a compost facility and transformed into compost and mulch.

IMPORTANT REMINDER...
Curbside yardwaste collection ends the third week of January!

Once a week curbside collection of UNLIMITED amounts of grass, leaves and light brush is available from April 1, 2010 - January 21, 2011 to most residents in eastern Howard County.

See Yardwaste for more information!

INCLEMENT WEATHER HOTLINE

Call (410) 313-2900, for a recorded message about recycling & trash collections during snowy, icy or other inclement weather conditions.

MERRY MULCH YOUR HOLIDAY TREE

Curbside Holiday Tree Recycling is available to residents who have curbside yardwaste recycling service. If you live in this area, you can recycle your tree on your normal recycling days during yardwaste collection season (April 1 through the third week in January). Trees will not be collected on trash days. If you are unsure if you receive yardwaste service, call (410) 313-6444.

How to Prepare Your Holiday Tree for Recycling
Remove all tinsel, garland, ornaments, tree stands, plastic bags or any other man-made materials.

Set your tree out the night before your pick up. Trees are picked up by a separate truck, as early as 6 a.m. or as late as 7 p.m.

There are other ways to dispose of your tree:

Alpha Ridge Landfill Residents' Convenience Center

Don't worry if it's past January 21st...
You can still RECYCLE your tree at the landfill.
Hours: Monday through Saturday from 8 am - 4 pm

Tree Drop-off Sites

There are 11 convenient sites around the county where you can take your tree to be recycled.

• CLARKSVILLE
  
  
  • Kendall Hardware
    12260 Route 108
    
    
  • River Hill Garden Genter
    12165 Route 108
    
    
• COLUMBIA
  
  
  • Cedar Lane Park
    5081 Cedar Lane
    
    
  • Grandfather's Garden Center
    5320 Phelps Luck Drive
    
    
• ELKRIDGE
  
  
  • Rockburn Park
    5400 Landing Road
    
    
• ELLICOTT CITY
  
  
  • Court House Drive
    parking lot near Courthouse
    
    
• HIGHLAND
  
  
  • Schooley Mill Park
    12975 Hall Shop Road
    
    
• MARRIOTTSVILLE
  
  
  • Alpha Ridge Landfill
    2350 Marriottsville Road
    
    
• SAVAGE
  
  
  • Savage Park
    8400 Fair Street
    
    
• WOODBINE
  
  
  • Western Regional Park
    14800 Carrs Mill Road
    
    

As a Last Resort...

You can dispose of your tree by placing it out for curbside trash pick up. However, trees collected this way are taken to the landfill for disposal and NOT RECYCLED! To conserve our landfill, we ask that you only use this option as a last resort. If you must dispose of your tree this way, please remember your 4's;

• 4 item per week limit for TRASH.(UNLIMITED RECYCLABLES!!!)
• Each item under 40 pounds.
• Each item less than 4 feet long.
  (Cut your tree into 4 foot lengths and tie or bundle together.
• Put out beFORE 6 a.m.

A BIG THANKS...to the many western Howard County residents who recycle holiday trees using chippers, or by creating a brush pile for a wildlife habitat.