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Safe Disposal of Christmas Trees and Decorations

Now that Christmas is over, you may be thinking about disposing of your festive holiday decorations. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has some suggestions for you.
Because about 80% of what is thrown away during the holidays can be recycled, the DNR officials encourage you to take time to sort out the many items that can be diverted from landfills. These include holiday lights, bubble wrapping, cardboard, wrapping paper, and other holiday-related items.
Natural Christmas Trees and decorative greenery should have all decorations and trimmings removed. Do not burn them in wood stoves or fireplaces, the resins could cause a flue fire and compost or dispose of natural decorations in an environmentally safe manner. The DNR also suggests checking with local tree farms and other retailers for take-back options.
Other tips include emptying any beverage containers and bottles before throwing them in the trash and removing batteries before throwing away old toys or electronics.