Recycle your Christmas trees
Be sure to remove all decorations before turning that holiday symbol into mulch
Star-Bulletin staff
Hawaii residents across the state can recycle their Christmas trees free of charge, as long as all decorations, including tinsel and flocking, is removed.
On Oahu, for households with city collection, residents can simply place it at the curb for pickup, as with other green waste. Cut the tree in 3-foot lengths. If you use a bin, trim the branches so it can fit. If you leave the trash in bags, place the tree in a bag and put it on the curb.
For condo residents, trees can be dropped off at any of the city's refuse centers, open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Large loads of trees can be dropped off directly at composting sites at Hawaii Earth Products in Campbell Industrial Park and in Kailua off Kapaa Quarry Road. More information is available at www.opala.org.
On Maui the county has daily drop-off locations across the Valley Isle. In Kihei trees can be dropped off at Maui Earth Composting off Piilani Highway. They can also be dropped off at the Maui Central Landfill on Pulehu Road, the Olowalu Recycling Center, three miles south of Lahaina, and the Hana Landfill. For more information, call 270-7880.
On Molokai trees can be dropped off at the Molokai Naiwa Landfill. On Lanai trees can be recycled at the old base yard, just west of the redemption center, Jan. 7-9 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On Kauai trees can be dropped off daily from 7:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., excluding holidays, at the Hanalei, Hanapepe, Kapaa and Lihue refuse transfer stations, and at the Kekaha Landfill, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trees can also be dropped off daily outside the main entrance to Kauai Nursery and Landscaping on Kaumualii Highway in Puhi.
Big Island residents can drop off their trees at the Hilo, Honokaa, Kaauhuhu, Keaau, Kealakehe, Keauhou, Pahoa, Puako, Waimea and Waiohinu refuse transfer stations before Jan. 13. The trees should be left in the designated areas, and they will be made into free mulch. For more information call 961-8270.