It might seem a bit Scrooge to be talking about getting rid of the Christmas tree before the event is over, but it can help to know what to do before 12th night comes along.
Most councils have a facility to collect and recycle real Christmas trees, although it ranges in scope from good services collecting from the home to an expectation that you will lug it yourself somewhere not very convenient to get to if you don’t own a car.
They all have pretty much the same rules — remove all the decorations and no heavy soil pots. Some councils ask you to chop the tree into smaller chunks.
Check their websites for the specifics.
A festive corner of ianVisits towers
Barking and Dagenham
No collection service, but you can take them to nominated car parks, although only on just three specific dates, or the Frizlands Lane tip.
Barnet
Real Christmas trees will be collected through January 2022 through to the end of the month.
Ensure that your real Christmas tree has all decorations and tree lights removed, is cut in half and is placed at the boundary of your property during January. Specific collection dates don’t seem to be offered.
Bexley
Christmas trees will be collected from households that have signed up to the garden waste collection service from Mon 10th January 2022.
Otherwise, you can take the tree to the recycling centres in Crayford or Foots Cray.
Brent
If you’re signed up to their garden collection service, chop the tree up and put in the garden waste. Otherwise, you can arrange for a paid special collection, or take o the council tip on Abbey Road.
Bromley
Residents who are members of the green garden waste wheelie bin collection service can use this service to recycle their real Christmas trees. Trees must be put in the bins for recycling and broken down if necessary.
Temporary recycling centres for Christmas trees will be open on Saturday 9 January or Sunday 10 January 2022 at four locations, or can be taken to the two council tips.
Camden
There will be collection points available from 3rd to 14th January 2022.
Collections are only available if you have a garden waste collection service, or arrange to pay for collection as part of their large household item removal service.
City of London
Trees should be taken to collection points advertised on their website and on estates just after Christmas.
Croydon
Leave your tree out from 10 January 2022 and it will be collected at some point over the next fortnight, or you can take the tree to the local skip.
Ealing
Between 4th to 29th January 2022, you can leave your tree on the front edge of your property, to have it taken away for recycling. Trees will be collected on the same day as your refuse collection (black bin) each alternate week.
Tree trunks must not exceed 20cm in diameter or be more than six feet tall (taller trees can be cut in two) and ensure all decorations are removed. The service is in place for real trees only, not synthetic ones.
Alternatively, you can also take your Christmas tree to the listed council parks and open spaces up until 29th January 2022, or to selected recycling centres.
Enfield
Collections from the home can be booked by appointment between 10th to 21st January 2022, or if you pay for garden waste service you can put it in your green bin.
Otherwise, local collection points will be an option until 30th January 2022.
Greenwich
Unknown – no information could be found on their website (again).
Hackney
Trees will be collected from your home from 3rd Jan to 14th Jan 2022 on your rubbish and recycling day. Put your tree out on the front boundary of your property by 6am, with all decorations removed.
People living in flats, put the trees next to the communal bins.
You can also take your tree to the Millfields Depot between 4th-30th January.
Hammersmith and Fulham
If you normally get an on-street rubbish collection, simply leave your tree where you’d leave your rubbish between 3rd Jan and 21st Jan 2022.
There are also 10 designated drop off points in the council area.
Haringey
Collections are free if you live in a kerbside property with a garden waste collection service. Cut your tree into smaller pieces (maximum length 1 metre or 3 feet) and put it out with your normal collection.
Christmas trees can also be taken to Haringey’s Reuse and Recycling Centre in Wood Green.
Alternatively, you can take them to one of five designated sites – this service is only offered for four weeks after Christmas Day.
Harrow
Appears to be limited to taking the tree to the recycling centre.
Havering
If you have a garden waste collection, put a chopped up tree in the collection bin, or take to the Gerpins Lane recycling centre.
Otherwise, there is a collection point at Gidea Park Sports Ground on Sat 8th Jan 2022 between 10am to 2pm.
Hillingdon
You can recycle Christmas trees with the usual garden waste collection, if chopped up. Alternatively, the tree can be taken to a recycling centre, or arrange for collection with their bulky waste service.
If you live in a flat, they have a collection request line open from Monday 10th January.
Hounslow
Collections from streets between 10th and 21st January 2022 – on specific dates.
There are also six drop-off points around the area open between 24th Dec to 28th Jan. People living in flats will have to speak to their estate management for details.
(yes, you can drop your unwanted Christmas tree off on Christmas eve, which seems some households are rather miserable)
Islington
If you have a street rubbish collection, leave the tree out on the normal collection date between 4th and 15th January 2022.
You can also drop off your tree at local collection points between 2nd and 17th January.
Kensington and Chelsea
Kerbside waste collection on your normal collection date between 3rd and 21st January 2022.
You can also take your tree to the council drop-off points between 2nd Jan and 23rd Jan 2022.
Kingston upon Thames
Trees will be collected from households over a two-week period from Monday 18 January 2021.
Lambeth
Leave the tree with your usual waste collection, or you can take the tree to two collection points.
Lewisham
If you have a garden waste bin, you can use it to recycle your real Christmas tree. Just cut it into pieces no bigger than 10cm thick and 50cm long.
Otherwise, there will be collection points open — details to be confirmed though.
Merton
Put your real Christmas tree out by Mon 10th Jan and it will be collected by the end of the month.
Alternatively, you can cut up your tree and put it in your garden waste wheelie bin, if you are a subscriber to the service. Or you can take it to the Reuse and Recycling Centre in Morden.
Newham
Garden waste collections are currently suspended – but you can book a free tree collection via their website.
Redbridge
Place your tree at the boundary of your property by Monday 10th Jan 2021, and they will collect over a 2 week period.
Alternatively, you can take the tree to the Chigwell Road Reuse and Recycling Centre.
Richmond upon Thames
They will collect your real Christmas tree for recycling on the normal scheduled garden waste collection day for your street between 4th and 14th Jan 2022.
There are also seven drop-off points open over the same period, and the Townmead Road tip accepts them.
Southwark
To be confirmed – but typically can be collected from people with garden waste collections, or take to the council tip.
Sutton
To be confirmed – but typically they collect from mid-January onwards or you can take to the local council skip.
Tower Hamlets
There will be a collection for the recycling of real Christmas trees from 3-21 January 2022.
If you receive a kerbside food and garden waste collection, please remove the tree from its pot and all decorations and leave it out for collection on your scheduled day during this period.
Waltham Forest
Take to a local waste and recycling centre or if you have a kerbside organic collection, leave next to your brown bin.
Wandsworth
Collections will be made on the usual refuse collection dates between Tuesday 4th January and Friday14th January and you should leave the tree with the usual rubbish on the morning of collection.
People living in blocks of flats should leave trees next to the communal bins, or you can take the tree to the Smugglers Way council tip.
Westminster
You can take your tree to a drop-off point between Tuesday 28 December 2021 and until the end of day Tuesday 11 January 2022
Thanks for this useful list!
Well, good job I bought reusable tree from John Lewis if Newham is just going to let them rot in the streets if people put real ones outside!