Deschutes County offers ways to recycle your Christmas trees and holiday lights for free

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- As you pack away your holiday decorations, you have options for recycling your Christmas tree -- and lights as well.

• Through Jan. 31, Christmas trees are accepted free of charge at the Knott Landfill Recycling Center and Southwest, Northwest, Negus, and Alfalfa Transfer Stations from individual residents (no commercial vendors). The tree must not have any flocking, tinsel, ornaments, lights, metal or plastic bases, etc. For information on hours/locations, click here.
• If you have curbside yard debris collection, you can have your tree collected at home. You will need to cut your tree to fit in the curbside yard debris cart with the lid closed. You can do this for as many weeks as necessary. If the tree is not in the cart, an extra fee may be charged. Be sure to remove all the decorations and the stand.
• You may also find a Boy Scout troop or other non-profit to take your tree.

Do you have watts and watts of burned-out holiday lights? Don’t toss them!
String lights can be recycled, free of charge, at Deschutes Recycling through the end of January. They will also be accepted for recycling at the Negus, Northwest, Southwest and Alfalfa Transfer Stations.

For more information on hours and locations, visit www.deschutes.org/solidwaste.