RECYCLE YOUR HOLIDAY TREE INTO YULETIDE MULCH; Free Pickup Set for Saturday, January 12

St. Petersburg, Fla. (December 26, 2012) -- St. Petersburg residents can find a second use for their Christmas tree by allowing the city to recycle the trees into decorative “Yuletide” mulch. For those who want to drop off their Christmas tree at one of the city’s five brush sites, see details below.

If unable to drop off your tree, Sanitation crews will provide curb-side (or alley) pick-up of discarded Christmas trees throughout St. Petersburg neighborhoods on Saturday, January 12, 2013. (Please NO artificial trees.) Here’s how to take advantage of the free pick-up on Saturday, January 12:

 --RESIDENTIAL HOUSES:  Place tree no closer than three (3) feet beside the garbage container in the usual location (curb or alley).

 --LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES:  Place the trees in a central location. When trees accumulate, apartment managers should call Commercial Sanitation at 727-893 7351 and a crew will be sent for pick-up.

 --SMALLER APARTMENT COMPLEXES:  Place trees beside or behind the large metal dumpsters and they will be picked up on regular collection days.

REMINDER:  WHEN DISPOSING OF A TREE, PLEASE REMOVE THE TREE STAND AND ALL DECORATIONS, LIGHTS AND PLASTIC DISPOSAL BAG.

If your tree is not picked up on the designated day and you need to request a special collection of your Christmas tree AFTER January 12, 2013, please call 727-893 7398 and press 4.

WHERE TO DROP OFF YOUR TREE
St. Petersburg residents who want to dispose of their tree sooner are encouraged to drop it off at any one of the city’s five brush sites. Again, please remember to remove the tree stand and all decorations and lights before discarding the tree. If a plastic tree bag is used when transporting tree, it should be removed and placed in the bin provided for tree bag disposal. 

BRUSH SITE LOCATIONS AND HOURS: 
1000 62nd Avenue NE   4015 Dr. ML King Jr. St. South (9th St.)
7750 26th Avenue North   2453 20th Avenue North
2500 26th Avenue South

Monday through Friday:  9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Saturday and Sunday:  8:00 AM to 5:30 PM

The trees are ground into a sweet smelling mulch which is mixed with standard mulch. And, mulch is available free for residents year round at each brush site (bring your own shovels and containers). The mulch is also used by the city to landscape city parks, golf courses and other facilities.