Christmas is over, and it’s time to start thinking about disposing of your tree.
There are a couple of ways to do that in Berkeley. You can either cut up your tree and place it in your cart for curbside collection or drop it off at the city’s Transfer Station, according to the city of Berkeley’s website.
You must cut up your tree to fit into your green plant debris cart, making sure the lid is closed. Whole trees will not be picked up if left on the curb.
If you have a flocked or snow-covered tree, you must cut it up and place it in your refuse cart.
You can drop off your compostable tree at the Transfer Station at 1201 2nd Street (off Gilman) for free through Jan. 31. But there is a $29 fee to drop off flocked or plastic trees. The station is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends prompt removal of fresh trees after the holiday, noting that 33% of Christmas tree fires occur in January.
“As much as we all enjoy the look and feel of Christmas trees in our homes, they’re large combustible items that have the potential to result in serious fires,” Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for the NFPA, said in a statement. “The longer Christmas trees remain in homes, the longer they present a risk.”