Please follow these simple steps:

  • Cut trees over six feet in half
  • Remove all ornaments, tinsel, and stands before recycling
  • Trees placed next to trash containers should be separated by at least four feet

Please note that flocked trees and trees with stands cannot be recycled and will not be accepted in green waste containers.

Will my waste hauler pick-up my Christmas tree?

South Coast

  • Customers of MarBorg Industries may place trees next to their trash containers or in or next to their green waste containers on their designated collection days. For questions, please call (805) 963-1852.
  • In the City of Carpinteria, customers of E.J. Harrison & Sons may place trees in their green waste containers on December 29th or on their regular green waste collection day thereafter. For questions, please call (805) 647-1414.
  • Owners and managers of apartments, condominiums, and mobile home parks should contact their waste hauler for Christmas tree recycling details.

North County

  • Customers of Waste Management may place their trees next to their trash container or cut them to fit inside their green waste container by 6:00 a.m. on collection days from January 2nd through 6th or on collection days thereafter. For questions, please call (805) 242-7937.
  • Customers in the City of Santa Maria may place their trees next to their trash container or cut them to fit inside their green waste container by 6:30 a.m. on collection days from January 2nd through 6th. For questions, please call (805) 925-0951, extension 7270.
  • Customers in the City of Lompoc should place their trees next to their trash container by 7:00 a.m. on collection days from January 9th through 13th. For questions, please call (805) 875-8024.
  • In the City of Buellton, customers of MarBorg Industries may place trees next to their trash containers or in or next to their green waste containers on their designated collection days. For questions, please call (805) 963-1852.

Are there any drop-off locations?

The locations below accept Christmas trees during the holiday season. If you don’t have trash service or would like to get rid of your tree earlier than the collection date for your area, take it to one of these locations:

MarBorg Industries
119 North Quarantina Street
Santa Barbara
(805) 963-1852
Open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station
4430 Calle Real
Santa Barbara
(805) 681-4345
Open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m.
(Christmas trees will be accepted for free through January 14th.)

Bedford Enterprises
1940 West Betteravia Road
Santa Maria (call ahead for pricing)
(805) 922-4977 or (800) 242-8884

City of Lompoc Landfill
Avalon Road (south end)
Lompoc
(805) 875-8024 or (805) 875-8027
Open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

City of Santa Maria Landfill
2065 East Main Street
Santa Maria
(805) 925-0951, ext. 7270

New Cuyama Transfer Station
5073 Highway 166
New Cuyama
(805) 681-4345
Open 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from 1st weekend in November to 2nd weekend in March.

Santa Maria Area Recycling Terminal
1940 West Betteravia Road
Santa Maria (call ahead for pricing)
(805) 922-4977 or (800) 242-8884

Santa Ynez Valley Recycling and Transfer Station
4004 Foxen Canyon Road
Los Olivos
(805) 688-5555
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(Christmas trees will be accepted for free through January 14th.)

Ventucopa Transfer Station
Highway 33
Ventucopa
(805) 681-4345
Open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from 1st weekend in November to 2nd weekend in March.

Waste Management
1850 West Betteravia Road
Santa Maria
(805) 242-7936
Open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

and

97 Commerce Drive
Buellton
(805) 688-7456
Open Wednesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m)

What happens to the trees?

  • Christmas trees collected by MarBorg Industries, as well as trees dropped off at the South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station, are ground into mulch.

Santa Ynez Valley

  • Christmas trees collected by Waste Management and MarBorg Industries (in Buellton), as well as trees dropped off at the Santa Ynez Valley Recycling and Transfer Station, are also ground into mulch.

Santa Maria Valley

  • Waste Management grinds the Christmas trees it collects in the unincorporated areas and then transports this material to a commercial composting facility in Santa Maria.
  • Christmas trees collected by the City of Santa Maria are taken directly to this same commercial composting facility.

Lompoc Valley

  • Christmas trees collected by the City of Lompoc are used as Alernative Daily Cover at its Landfill.

Holiday Waste Reduction Tips

For additional tips, you can also visit CalRecycle’s website.

If you have any questions, please call the County Public Works Department, Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division at (805) 882-3600. Spanish speakers may call (805) 882-3637 and leave a message, and one of our staff members will get back to you.

Where to go

  • Santa Barbara Area (2)

  • Goleta & UCSB Area (1)

  • Santa Ynez Valley (2)

  • Lompoc Valley & VAFB (1)

  • Santa Maria Valley (4)

  • Cuyama Valley (2)

Source: www.lessismore.org