Christmas tree recycling will again be offered in Kamloops this year.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
January 02, 2015 - 9:30 AM
KAMLOOPS - Your tree was neatly decorated, the stockings were hung, and the presents were all perfectly wrapped and placed under the tree. Now the presents have been torn open, the stockings sit discarded in the corner and your tree is losing needles every time you turn around.
It’s time to clean up after the holidays.
The city offers several drop-off sites for real Christmas trees from Dec. 27 through Jan. 15. Trees must be free of wire, tinsel, decorations and plastic.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District will also be accepting both trees and broken strings of lights at all solid waste disposal and recycling facilities. Bare natural trees and broken strings of lights can be dropped off free of charge through the end of January. Fake trees cannot be recycled and are still chargeable as garbage.
Last year 3,572 trees were recycled through the city drop-off locations with more than 20 per cent of those trees dropped off at the Albert McGowan site. The Yacht Club, McArthur Island and Westsyde park were all popular drop-off sites as well.
Nearly 150,000 trees have been recycled in Kamloops since the program began. The recycled trees are used as compost material in parks and gardens.
Kamloops Fire Rescue notes four out of five Christmas tree fires happen between Christmas and Jan. 3. It is recommended to dispose of trees as soon as possible since dried out trees pose a higher fire risk. Kamloops Fire Rescue Life Safety Educator Sheldon Guertin says it is best to get rid of a tree as soon as it starts dropping needles. Dried out trees should not be left inside the home, the garage or oustide leaning against the house.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015