CHICAGO - The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS), in partnership with the Chicago Park District, today announced the City’s annual Holiday Tree Recycling Program will start on Saturday, January 7 and run through Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 26 citywide locations.

"We are very proud of Chicago’s holiday tree recycling program, which has been in place since 1990," said DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard. “This is just one of the ways the City encourages residents to divert material from the waste stream, so it can be converted to resources and nourishment for the soil, thereby helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Last year, nearly 20,000 trees were mulched through the Holiday Tree Recycling Program, a diversion of approximately 700,000 pounds from landfills, and the reuse as mulch for city residents, local parks, and forests.

Live and natural holiday trees can be dropped off inside the tree recycling corrals at the designated locations. All ornaments, lights, tinsel, and tree stands must be removed before the tree is dropped off, and plastic bags used for transport should also be removed prior to placing the trees in the corrals.  

“As the Chicago’s leading greening stewards, we are pleased to partner with the Department of Street and Sanitation to host the Holiday Tree Recycling program in our parks,” said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño. “By offering tree drop-off locations at parks across the city, this annual effort encourages residents across the city to recycle their holiday trees to sustainable materials that not only minimize waste but support residential and public greenspaces.”

Residents are encouraged to recycle their holiday tree at the following locations, six of which offer free mulch to residents starting January 10.

• 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 Dr. 
• Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave. 
• Jackson Park Fieldhouse Parking Lot, off 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 Dr. at Fullerton Ave. (East Side of Cannon Dr.) 
• Margate Park*, 4921 N. Marine Dr. 
• Mahalia Jackson Park, 8385 S. Birkhoff Ave. 
• Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave. 
• McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd. 
• Mt. Greenwood Park*, 3721 W. 111th St. 
• North Park Village*, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd. 
• 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. 

(*free mulch locations) 

For more information on the City’s ongoing recycling efforts, please www.chicagorecycles.org.  

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