CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Sean Pedrina and Kialoa Kalama attempted to hoist an old Christmas tree into a trash bin yesterday at Kailua Intermediate School; unfortunately, the tree tumbled out, and they ran away. Pedrina and Kalama both belong to the Kailua High School boys varsity paddling team and volunteered their help with other crew members and teen volunteers from the Kailua Boys and Girls Club. CLICK FOR LARGE

Time to tree-cycle

Christmas trees can be left on the curb or dropped off at various convenience centers

The arrival of the New Year is also the time people toss out old Christmas trees.

On Oahu, homeowners who have city trash pickup can leave trees out with other green waste for recycling. However, the trees have to be cut into 3-foot sections or trimmed to fit into the blue bins used for green waste.

The other option is to take the trees to city refuse convenience centers.

Kailua resident Rick Martin hopes to make it easier for Windward residents to recycle Christmas trees.

Martin is donating the services of his trucking and roll-off company to collect the trees at Kailua Intermediate School this week and deliver them to the composting site on Kapaa Quarry Road.

Several years ago, residents could drop off their Christmas trees at the school, Martin said. But since that stopped, they have had to travel several miles to the composting site at Kapaa Quarry Road.

Martin garnered the support of his friend Duane Samson, who is also director of the Kailua Boys and Girls Club, to operate the tree collection site daily this week, from 2 to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

The Kailua Boys and Girls Club, Kailua High School paddling team and Martin's Rolloff will help consumers strip their trees of ornaments, flocking and tinsel when they drop them off.

Martin will deliver the trees to Hawaiian Earth Products, where the trees will be recycled into mulch and compost.

If all goes well, Martin said, he will consider making the Christmas tree collection drive an annual event.

The trees are turned into mulch, which is used in city parks and available free to residents. The compost made from recycled Christmas trees can be picked up from Hawaiian Earth Products sites at Campbell Industrial Park and Kapaa Quarry Road.

Other sites offering free mulch are Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, Makiki Community Garden, Wahiawa Community Garden, Hawaii Kai Community Garden, Leeward Community College, and Waimea Valley Audubon Center.