Treecycle 2009 - Recycle your Christmas tree

Go green with Tewkesbury Borough’s ‘Treecycle 2009’

Twelve local garden centres are on board with ‘Treecycle’ 2009, an initiative launched by Tewkesbury Borough Council to encourage people to recycle their trees this Christmas. Between 5 and 18 January 2009, residents can take their trees to one of the local centres and the council will collect and compost them. Last year, the council recycled approximately twenty five tonnes of Christmas trees.

‘’Every Christmas, so much waste is produced and it’s important that people think of ways to recycle instead of sending it all to landfill,’’ said Julie Davies, the council’s waste and recycling officer.

Julie continued: "I’m really pleased that we have been able to launch Treecycle, with the support of so many garden centres. The scheme is all about making recycling easier and more convenient for people.’’

Local residents can also recycle their trees in their brown bins as part of the garden waste collection service. Trees must be in the bin and if they are taller than 8ft, must be cut in half to allow them to enter the vehicle safely. To recycle other materials, people are encouraged to fill up their kerbside collection boxes with items including glass bottles and jars, cans, aerosols, tins and paper. Christmas cards can be recycled in the cardboard banks or local charity collections. The council is also reminding people to home compost food waste if they can, such as uncooked vegetable peelings.

Unfortunately wrapping paper cannot be recycled because of glue, tape and glitter interfering with the process.

Councillor Jim Mason, lead member for clean and green environment said: ‘’More people than ever are choosing to recycle and I hope that local residents continue to do this throughout Christmas and the new year. There are small things that people can do which make a huge difference, perhaps sending e-cards or re-using shopping bags. It’s important that we think about our impact on the environment.’’

Explore Gloucestershire
5 January 2009

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