ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Environmental Services is once again offering residents a variety of FREE holiday tree recycling options through its “Merry Mulch” program. Since 1993, the Merry Mulch program has kept thousands of trees out of the landfill, helping to save money and the environment. All collected live trees are delivered to the County’s Composting Facility at Alpha Ridge Landfill and recycled into compost and mulch.
I encourage residents to reduce their carbon footprint by keeping trees out of the landfill this holiday season. By spring, this organic material will be re-purposed and ready to use as compost and mulch. By simply recycling your holiday tree, you can create a cleaner and more sustainable environment for all.
Beginning Friday, December 26th and continuing through Saturday, January 17th, holiday trees may be recycled seven days a week during regular business hours at the drop-off sites listed below. Note that Alpha Ridge Landfill is open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Look for Merry Mulch signs at the following drop-off sites:
- Clarksville: Kendall Hardware, 12260 Clarksville Pike (Route 108)
- Columbia: Cedar Lane Park, 5081 Cedar Lane
- Elkridge: Rockburn Branch Park – East, 5400 Landing Road
- Ellicott City: Old Circuit Court parking lot on upper Court House Drive (just past Ellicott Mills Drive, on the right)
- Highland: Schooley Mill Park, 12975 Hall Shop Road
- Marriottsville: Alpha Ridge Landfill Wood Waste Area, 2350 Marriottsville Road (open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Savage: Savage Park, 8400 Fair Street
- Woodbine: Western Regional Park, 14800 Carrs Mill Road
Community members can also find an interactive map on-line displaying this year’s Merry Mulch locations.
Howard County residents with curbside yard trim collection may set their holiday trees out on their yard trim day for collection through Friday, January 16th. Trees will not be picked up on trash collection days during this time for residents with yard trim collection. All decorations, including tinsel, garland, ornaments, lights, tree stands, plastic bags, etc., must be removed.
Additionally, trees must be cut into less than four-foot lengths and tied – they should not be bagged, and each bundle must weigh less than 40 pounds.
Residents should set their tree out the night before their collection day. Trees will be picked up on the customer’s collection day, between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by the yard trim truck. If you are not sure if you receive yard trim service, contact the Bureau of Environmental Services at 410-313-6444 or email help@howardcountyrecycles.org.
Artificial trees cannot be placed in the blue carts for curbside recycling. Artificial holiday trees and wreaths with metal components can be recycled year-round in the scrap metal area at the Alpha Ridge Landfill’s Residents’ Convenience Center.
After January 17th, when the sites listed above are no longer accepting holiday trees and curbside yard trim collection is no longer offered, residents may continue to bring their holiday trees to the Alpha Ridge Landfill Wood Waste Area, open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No plastic bagged trees will be accepted.
Additionally, after January 17th, when the curbside yard trim collection season ends until April, trees will be collected as trash when put out on trash day. However, residents in the County’s “Feed the Green Bin” Food Scrap Collection area are reminded that they may continue to set out their yard trim with their food scraps for collection year-round.