City offers recycling of natural holiday trees

Once again as it has for many years, the city of Yuma is offering a recycling program for natural Christmas trees.

Recycling the trees puts them to good use and keeps them out of the landfill, say city officials. Material from the natural trees will be chipped and used as mulch in city parks.

Beginning Wednesday, the trees can be dropped off for recycling at the city's North Public Works Yard, 265 W. 13th St. (13th Street and 2nd Avenue). Hours for the Christmas tree recycling program are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 26-28 and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 31-Jan. 5. The site will be closed Jan. 1 for New Year's Day.

Be sure to remove all tree stands, lights, ornaments and tinsel from the trees before recycling them. Artificial trees will not be accepted.

City residents who miss the Jan. 5 deadline for dropping off natural trees at the city site may drop off trees at Yuma County's North Gila Transfer Site at Avenue 7E at County 5th Street. That site will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Jan. 16.

For more information on the city's Christmas tree recycling program, call 373-4500.

People can also recycle gift boxes, shoe boxes, tissue paper and other paper.

On the nonrecyclable side are bubble wrap, foam peanuts, wrapping paper, ribbon and bows, sticky gift labels and gift bags that have been coated, laminated or dyed. However, many of those items can be saved and reused.

As for regular trash pickup service during the holidays, city residents who usually have their trash collected on Tuesdays and Fridays will have collections Wednesday and Friday this week and the first week in January. Monday and Thursday routes will run as usual.

Also coming up is the quarterly household hazardous waste collection day when residents can bring in such items as leftover paint, used motor oil, unwanted household cleaners, up to five tires (off the wheel, no rims), antifreeze, pesticides and discarded electronics such as television sets and computer components.

The collection day will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 12 at 265 W. 13th St.

This free environmental program is open to all city of Yuma and Yuma County residents at no charge. It is sponsored by the city of Yuma, city of Somerton and Yuma County.

It is only for the safe disposal of household waste used in a person's home, vehicle or yard. No business or commercial waste will be accepted, nor will large household appliances, explosives, ammunition, pressurized gas or radioactive waste.