Recycle your Christmas tree at these City of San Antonio drop-off centers

Free mulch from collected trees will be available at Bitters Brush Recycling Center while supplies last.

Christmas tree recycling

SAN ANTONIO – Wondering what to do with your live Christmas tree after the holidays?

The City of San Antonio’s Solid Waste Management Department will be operating four recycling centers in January for customers to recycle their live Christmas trees. Even though trees are biodegradable over time, recycling keeps them out of the landfill.

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Here are the locations where you can drop off your live tree:

  • Bitters Brush Drop-Off Center at 1800 Wurzbach Parkway, 78216
        • Jan. 2-13 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Culebra Road Drop-Off Center at 7030 Culebra Road, 78238
        • Jan. 2-5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
        • Jan. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon
        • Jan. 8-12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
        • Jan. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon
  • Frio City Road Drop-Off Center at 1531 Frio City Road, 78226
        • Jan. 2-5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
        • Jan. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon
        • Jan. 8-12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
        • Jan. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon
  • Rigsby Road Drop-Off Center at 2755 Rigsby Road, 78222
        • Jan. 2-5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
        • Jan. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon
        • Jan. 8-12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
        • Jan. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon

Residents can also drop their live trees to Atlas Organics for recycling.

  • Atlas Organics at 8963 Nelson Road, 78252
        • Jan. 2-13 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Sundays

Customers can also place smaller live trees in their green organic bins for their normal collection dates. The cart lid must close completely, and customers are asked not to bag their trees. In mid-January, customers may visit the Bitters Brush Recycling Center and receive free mulch from collected trees while supplies last.

Here are the following items that are accepted in the blue recycling cart:

  • cardboard shipping boxes
  • clean, plain, wrapping paper (free of glossy or glitter finishes)
  • narrow mouth plastic bottles and jugs
  • glass bottles and jars
  • metal cans

Flowers and decorative plants are accepted in the green organics cart. Please remove any non-compostable material, including florist wire and watering foam. Remove plants from their pots before putting them into the green cart. Additionally, wreaths and garlands held together by metal forms or florist wire do not go in the green cart.

Food scraps are essential to make compost. Place peels, rinds, nuts, eggshells, husks, and bread in a plain brown paper bag. Keep the bag in the freezer, and on collection day, this frozen bundle will keep the green cart clean.

For questions on how to dispose of specific items or to learn more about SWMD’s collection services, click here.


About the Authors

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.

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