Where to recycle your Christmas tree in Kane County

Keep your Christmas tree out of the landfill. In Kane County, there are many options for recycling/mulching your tree. Below is a list of cities, villages, and township's tree recycling programs. It also lists a couple of drop-off locations in case you miss the city program or just want to deliver it yourself. For questions, contact Jennifer Jarland, Kane County Recycling Coordinator, at recycle@countyofkane.org or (630) 208-3841.

You can drop Christmas trees off for recycling at these two locations.

• Advanced Disposal (Veolia) Transfer Station, 766 Hunter Drive, corner of Hubbard and Hunter, Batavia, (630) 879-3587; Hours: 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday. Remove all decorations, tinsel, lights, etc. Cost is $15. Special Saturday drop-off from 6 to 10 a.m., $25 for a load of mixed material, equivalent to a pickup truck level bed full, can include a tree for no extra cost.

• Midwest Compost, 1320 Spaulding Road, Elgin, (847) 931-2900; Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Remove all decorations, tinsel, lights, and plastic bags used for transporting. Cost is $10

If your village or city is not on the list below, contact them directly to inquire about tree collection programs for your area.

Algonquin: Groot will offer free curbside collection of trees throughout the month of January for existing residential customers. Trees must be cut in half if over six feet, all tinsel and decorations must be removed. Trees cannot be bagged and be sure to uncover them if buried by snow.

Aurora: The city will collect Christmas trees during the first or second week of January. Trees must be free of plastic bags, all decorations including tinsel and tree stands, and be placed at the curb on your normal collection day. Due to the wire used to form them, wreaths and garlands will not be collected for recycling and must have a sticker as garbage.

Aurora Township: The township highway department will be initiating a Christmas tree and wreath pickup service this year for unincorporated Aurora Township residents only. The undecorated tree and wreath pick up will take place on Monday, Jan. 5, weather permitting. No bags, no plastic of any kind. Put the cut end of tree toward the street. Additionally, they will accept Christmas tree and wreath drop-offs from any Aurora Township resident at the facility at 220 Butterfield Road. Drop-off times are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends, Jan. 5-12.

Batavia: As part of the city's refuse contract, Advanced Disposal will be picking up live Christmas trees on residents' regular collection dates. Residents do not have to use a sticker for Christmas tree removal on these dates only. After these dates, residents should affix a refuse/yard waste sticker to the tree and place it at the curb on their regular collection date. All materials such as plastic bags, ornaments, lights, nails, etc. should be removed from the trees. Live wreaths and garland should be placed in your regular refuse. Adhere to the following schedule: south side (Wilson to the south between Kirk/Randall): Wednesdays, Jan. 7 and 14; north side (north of Wilson to Fabyan between Kirk/Randall): Thursdays, Jan. 8 and 15; and far west side (Randall west to city limits): Fridays, Jan. 9 and 16

Campton Township: Christmas tree collection will run for two weeks through Jan. 10. All trees picked up during this time will be recycled and composted by the waste hauler. Residents will not need to affix a yard waste sticker to the trees during this time.

Dundee Township: Dundee Township Highway Commission recycles trees. Bring your tree with all decorations removed to the township garage at 1900 Sleepy Hollow Road, at Route 72, through Jan. 15. Trees can be dropped off anytime. There are signs showing where to drop them off. Dundee Township does not pick up any trees. All trees have to have all decorations removed. Call Highway Commissioner Larry Braasch at (847) 426-0898 for details.

East Dundee: Holiday greenery must have all tinsel, ornaments, lights and nails removed before being placed out at the curb for pickup and cannot be placed in plastic bags. Holiday greenery collection is free the first two weeks in January.

Elburn: Trees will be picked up curbside by Waste Management during the first two pickup days, Jan. 2 and 8. No plastic bags, no tinsel, no lights, and no decorations.

Elgin: Christmas trees will be collected through Jan. 16 from all residential households. Stickers are not required for Christmas trees during this period. All decorations, stands, etc. must be removed from trees in order to be collected. Do not place trees in plastic bags. Trees in plastic bags will not be collected. After Jan. 16, each Christmas tree will require one visibly affixed refuse sticker to be collected.

Geneva: Christmas tree pickup will be second and third weeks in January without sticker place at curb with garbage. It will be Jan. 8-9 and Jan. 15-16. A waste hauler will be picking them up, not the city trucks.

Huntley: Waste Management tree recycling program is available the first two weeks in January for all residential units in Sun City with trees free of tinsel, decorations and not in bags. Trees may be a maximum of 6 feet tall. There is no additional cost for this service. The Huntley Park District Recycling Program also invites residents to bring their tree to Sun Valley Farm at Betsey Warrington Park, free of tinsel and decorations by Jan. 31. These trees will be used as mulch in the parks. There is no cost for this service and is available to residents within Huntley village limits. Detailed information may be found at www.huntleyparks.org or by calling (847) 669-3180, ext. 330.

Gilberts: The village's waste hauler (MDC) shall pick up discarded Christmas trees place on the curbside on the resident's normal pickup day after the Christmas holidays until Jan. 31.

Maple Park: Christmas trees will be picked up on the resident's service day beginning after Dec. 25. Pickup will continue through the month of January. Trees must be free of all decorations. Trees must not be in plastic bags.

Montgomery: Allied Waste will collect Christmas trees during the first and second full week of January (Jan. 5 and 12). Trees must be free of plastic bags, all decorations including tinsel and tree stands, and be placed at the curb by 6 a.m. on your normal collection day. No stickers are required.

South Elgin: Allied Waste/Republic Services will pick up Christmas trees through Jan. 16 on normally scheduled refuse days. All decorations should be removed before placing the tree at curbside.

St. Charles: Christmas trees will be picked up during the weeks of Jan. 5 and 12, on both sides of the river on the regularly scheduled refuse day. Trees collected during this two-week time period do not require a refuse sticker. After the two-week period, a sticker will be required for pick up. Trees cannot be bagged and must have all ornaments, tinsel, lights and decorations removed from them. Wreaths and garlands will not be picked up and cannot be accepted due to the wire in them. For questions, call Public Works at (630) 377-4405.

Pingree Grove: Christmas trees will be collected by Flood Brothers for the first three weeks of January at no charge. During this free three-week collection period, trees must be free of all decorations and cannot be in plastic bags. Afterward, Christmas trees will be considered a bulk item. Bulk items will be collected at no extra cost up to seven items each calendar year. Charge after allowed seven will be $8.60 per item.

West Dundee: Free Christmas tree collections are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 3, and Friday, Jan. 9, for those households receiving regular refuse collection within the village. Trees must be stripped of all decorations and placed at the curb with the cut end facing the street. Trees do not have to be cut up, bundled or placed in yard waste bags. Trees in plastic bags or wrapped in plastic will not be accepted. In addition, trees or greenery covered with artificial snow cannot be accepted. Garlands and wreaths must be disassembled. The organic portion should be placed in a yard waste bag while the rest is discarded as refuse. If you live in a building with more than three units, contact your building owner or refuse hauler regarding the disposal of your tree, or recycle it. Also see the Dundee Township information above for drop-off option.