CHICAGO — There’s a better spot than the alley to ditch your Christmas tree.

The city’s tree recycling program runs Jan. 3-17 at 27 parks across the city. The Department of Streets and Sanitation and the Chicago Park District team up every year to collect used Christmas trees and turn them into mulch.

Only live and natural trees can be dropped off; garlands and wreaths are not accepted. Trees must be free of all tinsel, ornaments, lights and any plastic bags or wrapping.

Here are this year’s drop-off locations:

  • Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.
  • Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.
  • Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.
  • Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave.
  • Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Drive
  • Hiawatha Park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve Drive
  • Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave.
  • Jackson Park, 6300 S. Cornell Ave.
  • Kennedy Park, 2427 W. 113th St.
  • Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.
  • Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.
  • Lincoln Park, Cannon Drive at Fullerton Ave. (east side of Cannon Drive)
  • Mahalia Jackson Park, 8385 S. Birkhoff Ave. 
  • Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Drive
  • Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.
  • McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Road
  • Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
  • North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Road
  • Norwood Park (Service Yard), 5800 N. Avondale Ave. 
  • Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
  • Riis Park, 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.
  • Rowan Park, 11546 S. Avenue L
  • Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.
  • Walsh Park, 1722 N. Ashland Ave. 
  • Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
  • Wentworth Park, 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.
  • West Chatham Park, 8223 S. Princeton Ave. 

Starting Jan. 5, Chicagoans can pick up free mulch at these six tree drop-off locations: Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.; Lincoln Park, Cannon Drive at Fullerton Ave.; Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Drive; Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.; North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Road; and Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.

Mulch is available on a first come, first served basis.

Don’t trash your broken holiday lights. Reduce Waste Chicago will recycle them for you. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Where To Recycle Your Holiday Lights

Reduce Waste Chicago is again collecting broken holiday string lights to be recycled.

The program has expanded to more drop-off sites this year, thanks to a $5,000 grant. Last year, Reduce Waste Chicago collected 4,618 pounds of lights from 40 drop-off locations at 17 wards citywide, according to its website.

Here are 42 locations where you can bring your holiday lights:

  • The Unwaste Shop, 1108 W. Madison St.
  • 25th Ward Office, 2100 W. Cermak Road
  • Working Bikes, 2434 S Western Ave.
  • The Plant, 1400 W. 46th St.
  • Trash Castle, 1048 W. 37th St.
  • Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave.
  • Northwestern Medicine Galter Pavilion, 675 N. St Clair St.
  • Bartleby’s Homemade Ice Cream, 1943 W. Byron St.
  • Erwin Law, 4043 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 208
  • 32nd Ward Office, 2657 N. Clybourn Ave.
  • 35th Ward Office, 2934 N. Milwaukee Ave.
  • 47th Ward Office, 4243 N. Lincoln Ave.
  • A Pretty Flower, 2334 W. Lawrence Ave.
  • Henry’s House Preschool, 3655 N. Bell Ave.
  • Katherine Anne Confections – Irving Park, 3653 W. Irving Park Road
  • Northcenter Chamber of Commerce, 4045 N. Lincoln Ave.
  • State Rep. Jaime Andrade, 4007 N. Sacramento Ave.
  • The UPS Store, 4044 N. Lincoln Ave.
  • Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange, 2142 W. 82nd Place
  • The Refilleri, 1007 N California Ave.
  • Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber/SSA #33, 1414 N. Ashland Ave.
  • 33rd Ward Office, 4747 N. Sawyer Ave.
  • Lincoln Square Animal Hospital, 4501 N. Lincoln Ave.
  • 49th Ward Office, 1447 W. Morse Ave.
  • 39th Ward Office, 4200 W Lawrence Ave.
  • Forest Glen Animal Hospital, 5330 N. Elston Ave.
  • Mr. V’s Pizza, 5285 N. Elston Ave.
  • Habitat for Humanity, 6057 S. Western Ave.
  • 46th Ward Office, 4544 N. Broadway
  • Chicago Waldorf School, 5200 N. Ashland Ave.
  • 30th Ward Office, 5418 W. Belmont Ave.
  • State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, 4349 N. Milwaukee Ave.
  • 19th Ward Office, 10400 S. Western Ave.
  • The Unwaste Shop, 1915 W. 103rd St.
  • Habitat for Humanity ReStore Chicago, 6040 N. Pulaski Road
  • 1st Ward Office, 1958 N. Milwaukee Ave.
  • Katherine Anne Confections – Logan Square, 2745 W. Armitage Ave.
  • The WasteShed, 1754 N. Kimball Ave.
  • Harriet Tubman Elementary School, 2851 N. Seminary Ave.
  • 40th Ward Office, 5620 N. Western Ave.
  • 50th Ward Office, 2949 W. Devon Ave.
  • 48th Ward Office, 1129 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.

For more details on holiday recycling programs and additional drop-off locations, visit the city of Chicago and Reduce Waste Chicago websites.

Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast: