Don’t trash that tree: One NJ county turns Christmas trees into mulch

♻️ Burlington County residents can recycle real Christmas trees instead of trashing them curbside.

🌲 Trees dropped off by Jan. 11 will be mulched during the county’s first-ever Mulch Fest.

💰 Recycling trees cuts landfill waste and has already saved towns millions in disposal fees.

Soon, ornaments and decorations will be taken down and put away, and some people may be wondering what to do with their Christmas trees.

Don’t toss them by the curb, especially if you’re a Burlington County resident.

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Where to recycle Christmas trees in Burlington County

Recycle those undecorated trees by taking them to the Burlington County Fairgrounds, located at 1990 Jacksonville-Jobstown Road in Springfield, now through January 11, to have them mulched by the county parks system.

No artificial, bagged, or flocked trees will be accepted. All stands, lights, tinsel, wires, ornaments, and garland must be removed.

Mulch Fest offers free mulch for residents

Donated trees will be mulched on Jan. 11 during the inaugural “Mulch Fest” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents are invited to come and take mulch for their home gardens or landscaping projects. Just bring your own tools and containers for mulch.

“Bringing your trees to the Fairgrounds for Mulch Fest gives the trees a second life and helps keep our county green,” said Burlington County Commissioner Tom Pullion, the liaison to the Department of Solid Waste and Recycling.

Recycling Christmas trees saves towns money

Recycling trees also helps reduce waste in landfills and saves towns and property taxpayers from paying higher landfill fees.

More than 67 million pounds of recyclables have been collected in Burlington County in 2025 through Nov. 30, saving towns over $3.4 million in landfill waste fees, Pullion said.

Additional Christmas tree recycling options

In addition to the Fairgrounds drop-off for Mulch Fest, live trees can also be brought to the Burlington Resource Recovery Complex, at 22000 Burlington-Columbus Road in Florence, to be chipped and composted.

Several municipalities also offer curbside collection and/or drop-off sites for discarded trees. Contact your town to verify when these collections occur.

For more information on recycling Christmas trees, call 609-499-1001 or send an email.

The Recycling Coach app can be downloaded from Apple or the GooglePlay app store.

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