Tips, Drop-Off Locations and Scheds for Recycling Christmas Trees in Kane County, IL
- Editor’s Note: This article was submitted by Kane County Recycling Coordinator Jennifer Jarland. You can reach her at 630-208-3841 or recycle@countyofkane.org.
During the holiday season, we can help Mother Nature by recycling our Christmas trees. Returning the organic material to a composting facility to be mulched is much better than landfilling!
No matter where you live in Kane County, recycling your Christmas tree is easy, and mostly free. Many of the programs offer free recycling for the first part of January and then you have to place a sticker on it after a certain date. See the below link for details on your specific program.
Kane County Connects will post an article on municipal recycling schedules in the coming days, but in the meantime, all you need to do is CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR A LIST OF PICKUP TIMES IN KANE COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES AND TOWNSHIPS.
Instructions differ by town, but here are four common tips given by all of the cities and villages:
- It is very important to remove all decorations, especially tinsel, before placing it out at the curb for collection or before dropping it off.
- Do not place the tree into plastic bags, just place them out there plain as the day you bought them. This is because they are collected separately and mulched rather than landfilled, and we don’t want the plastic and tinsel in the mulch.
- If the tree is a big one, please cut the trunk into pieces smaller than 6-foot in length.
- If it becomes covered with snow please brush it off so that it is visible to assure that it will be collected.
Kane County Recycling reaches out to all of the cities and villages in Kane County to get their updated info to compile it into this easy alphabetical list for residents to use. Just click this page on the Kane County Recycles website for information on your city or village program. If your town is not on the list then contact them directly.
Finally, people can recycle lights at our electronics recycling drop-offs in Batavia, South Elgin, West Dundee, and at the Kane County collection events. Click here for more information!
Drop-off Locations
- Drop-off locations for Christmas lights.
- Pick-up and drop-off locations and info for Christmas trees.
Advanced Disposal (Veolia) Transfer Station
- Location: 766 Hunter Drive (corner of Hubbard and Hunter), Batavia, IL, 60510
- Contact: 630-879-3587
- Hours: 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 6 a.m.-10 a.m. Saturday
- Specs: Please remove all decorations, tinsel, lights, etc.
- Cost: $15
- Note: Special Saturday drop-off, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., $35 for a load of mixed material, equivalent to a pick-up truck level bed full, can include a tree for no extra cost.
Midwest Compost
- Location: 1320 Spaulding Road, Elgin, IL, 60120
- Contact: 847-931-2900
- Hours: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday
- Specs: Please remove all decorations, tinsel, lights, and plastic bags used for transporting. No wreathes or garlands will be accepted. Closed New Year’s Day.
- Cost: $10
More Holiday-Related Recycling Tips
- Hey, Kane County! Do No Recycle Wrapping Paper!
- Top 10 Ways to Reduce Holiday Waste in Kane County
- Big Honkin’ List of Communities That Recycle Your Christmas Tree (2014 post)
About Kane County Recycles
The Kane County Recycles office manages recycling programs for electronics, books, hazardous materials, and other hard-to-recycle materials, and promotes best practices for household recycling, commercial business recycling, and composting. This office oversees recycling-related information and community outreach initiatives, oversees the annual licensing of Waste and Recycling Haulers, provides backyard compost bins, and implements the Kane County Solid Waste Plan. The office oversees the Recycling and Hauler Licensing Ordinance which requires commercial businesses and multi-family residences to recycle, and provides the provisions for hauler licensing and reporting.
For all you ever needed to know about recycling in Kane County see the Kane County Recycles webpage and also sign up here to receive an electronic copy of the new Green Guide each spring.
