(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

When you take down your Christmas tree after the holidays, keep in mind you can dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way.

Waste Reduction Facilitator Rae Stewart with the Regional District says, “You can give your tree another life after the holidays by dropping it off at any one of the convenient Chip It locations. Your tree will then be chipped down and composted into a nutrient rich soil enhancer called GlenGrow. It’s perfect for top dressing your lawn, landscaping, or mixing in your vegetable garden and is available at the Glenmore landfill  throughout the spring and summer.”

If you don’t want to haul your tree to a drop off location, Stewart says you can also cut it down to size and put the pieces in your yard waste cart for pick up once yard waste collection resumes March 1, 2016. Keep in mind the prunings and branches need to be no longer than 5cm (2in) in diameter and less than 1 meter (3ft) long.

It’s important to remove all foreign material from your tree if you are dropping it off at a Chip It location or placing it in your yard waste cart. Before recycling your tree, please remove all decorations and tinsel, as well as any plastic bags or other materials used for transporting your tree as all of these interfere with the composting process.

Christmas tree drop-off locations Dec. 26 through Jan. 31 are:

NEW: Kelowna and Area: 

*Ben Lee Park (parking lot at Houghton Road)
*Cook Road Boat Launch (parking lot)
(Richter Street parking lot location now closed)
Glenmore Landfill (Glenmore Road)
Open Monday-Sunday 7:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.  Closed Dec 25, 26 and Jan 1

Westside:
Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Center (Asquith Road)
Open Friday-Monday 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Closed Dec 25 and Jan 1

Lake Country:
Jack Seaton Park (1950 Camp Rd.)

Peachland:
Compost Site on Princeton Avenue is now closed.
Residents can take their trees and yard waste year round to the Westside Residential Waste Disposal Center on Asquith Road in West Kelowna. (see hours above)

NEW in Peachland:  Peachland Fire Rescue is doing a Christmas Tree Chipping fundraiser campaign for Peachland residents on Jan. 3, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For a donation towards Muscular Dystrophy, trees can be dropped off at the Peachland Community Centre on 6th Street during the event, or for a minimum $5 donation the Peachland Fire Department will come to your home in Peachland and pick up your tree for disposal. Prior arrangements must be made for tree pick up by contacting the Peachland Fire Department 250-767-2841.

For more information on tree chipping or holiday recycling, visit regionaldistrict.com/recycle or call the Regional Waste Reduction Office at 250-469-6250.

News from © iNFOnews, 2015