By Cassie McClure
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News 12.26.21
Whether you cut in down yourself in Cloudcroft or bought it from a local greenhouse, Las Cruces residents can recycle real Christmas trees for free at the City of Las Cruces Foothills Clean Fill Landfill at 555 S. Sonoma Ranch Blvd. The trees will be chipped and composted for future use as landscape material that is also free to residents.
The landfill is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday. After regular business hours, a roll off container is available outside the gate for easy access for residents to dispose of their Christmas trees.
The dedicated roll off for Christmas trees will be at the landfill starting Monday, December 27, 2021 through January 15, 2022.
Residents may also utilize the Green Grappler service for Christmas tree disposal. The Green Grappler picks up yard waste from residential homes only and is offered monthly on normal trash days.
For easy disposal, please keep a couple of things in mind before you recycle your tree: Remove all decorations, ornaments, icicles, tinsel, and lights before recycling. Also, LCU cannot recycle trees with fake flocked “snow” - those must go into your trash container or set out for pick up by the regular Grappler.
Lastly, your old Christmas lights become dreaded “tanglers” once they reach a recycling processing plant. “Tanglers” – Christmas lights, electric cords, chains, water hoses, and even plastic bags – bind up conveyor belts, wind around turning parts, and wreak havoc in a recycling processing plant. Put them in the trash, not the recycling bin.
LCU Customer Central can be reached at 575-541-2111 from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. LCU provides clean, safe, and reliable services to Las Cruces residents and businesses. Learn more at: las-cruces.org/180/Utilities For emergencies, call Dispatch at 526-0500.
CAPTION:
PHOTO 1: If you have a real tree this year, consider using the free Green Grappler service or bring your tree to the Foothills Clean Fill Facility at 555 S. Sonoma Ranch Blvd. to recycle your tree into free mulch.