How and when to recycle your live Christmas trees

(WAND) - Now that Christmas is over, many towns are offering recycling for live trees.

WAND News is compiling a list of Christmas tree recycling dates.

The city is partnering with the Decatur Park District and the Primient Veterans ERG to collect the trees from December 26 through January 16. They will be prepped and placed at the bottom of Lake Decatur to provide shelter for smaller fish and help the ecosystem.

Trees can be dropped off at the old Paul's Putting Place hill at Nelson Park.

The Christmas trees must be completely cleared of ornaments, tinsel, glitter, lights and tree stands.

Champaign:

The City of Champaign’s Holiday Tree Collection Program collection date has been set as Monday, January 12, 2026. This free collection program is available to all residential properties within the City’s corporate limits.

• City residents must place their tree within four feet of the curb by 6 a.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026, for collection.

• Collected trees are chipped and made into garden mulch.

• Trees with stands, decorations, tinsel, lights, artificial snow/frost, plastic bags, garland, or any other materials that make the trees non-recyclable will not be collected.

• Residents may take undecorated, unflocked trees to the Landscape Recycling Center at 1210 E. University Avenue in Urbana for free disposal during the month of January.

Springfield:

The Department of Public Works announces the 2025 dates for the Branch Pickup Program and Christmas Tree Pickup. This program, conducted in quadrants, takes place four times a year. In January, Christmas trees and branches will be collected during the same week.

January 6 Northwest - The area north of South Grand Avenue and Old Jacksonville Road. West of Walnut Street/J David Jones Parkway.

January 13 Southwest - The area south of South Grand Avenue and Old Jacksonville Road. West of Walnut Street.

January 20 Southeast - The area south of South Grand Avenue and east of Walnut Street, including the properties around Lake Springfield.

January 27 Northeast - The area north of South Grand Avenue and east of Walnut/J. David Jones Parkway.

Mattoon:

The city has scheduled curbside collection of live Christmas trees to begin Monday, January 5, 2026. All live trees needing picked up must be placed on the city boulevard by 7 a.m. Monday, January 5, 2026. Public Works Dept. will do a tour of the city to collect the live trees beginning on January 5th and finishing on January 6th. Trees must be free of ornaments, lights, stands, and plastic bags as the trees will be taken to the city’s yard waste facility and ground into mulch. The city’s yard waste facility, located on Logan Street, is also open daily during daylight hours for those residents wishing to dispose of trees themselves. We ask that residents unload their trees at the large limb pile.

Charleston:

The City has scheduled a curbside collection of live Christmas trees for Wednesday, January 7 and Thursday, January 8.

All live trees needing picked up must be placed on the City boulevard by 7 a.m. on Wednesday, January 7. The Public Works Department will make one pass through the City to collect live trees. Trees must be free of ornaments, lights, stands, plastic bags, and other material. The trees will be taken to the City’s Landscape Waste Facility and ground into mulch.

The City’s Leaf & Limb facility is located on West Madison Avenue and is open daily for those residents who wish to dispose of their tree themselves.

More cities will be added as they announce their disposal dates.