Recycle holiday trees, wreaths and greens

When the pine needles start to drop, it’s time to give your holiday trees, wreaths and garland a second life as landscape mulch, fish habitat or erosion control.

Like yard waste, holiday trees and greenery are banned from landfills in Missouri and are discouraged from being deposited into Kansas landfills. Area communities offer residents a number of ways to recycle them — not only keeping them out of landfills, but also reusing them for a variety of purposes, including trail surfaces, erosion control, landscaping and fish habitat in local lakes.

For tree recycling services throughout the country at a location near you, check the nationwide list at Pick Your Own Christmas Tree.

To find a recycling service in or near the Kansas City metropolitan area, check out the listings below, or go to the Mid-America Regional Council RecycleSpot.org.

Tree Pickup Services
Call your trash hauler first to see if they offer curbside pickup. Other pickup options include:

• Compost Connection Inc. — 816-761-8300
• Lawn-Corps Curbside Recycling — 816-761-3046; Missouri residents only
• Merriam, KS — 913-322-5570; Merriam residents only
• North Kansas City, MO — 816-274-6000; North Kansas City residents only 
• Olathe, KS — 913-971-9311; Olathe residents only
• Sugar Creek, MO — 816-252-4470; Sugar Creek residents only

Tree Drop-Off Locations

• Archie, MO — Yard waste collection site, 401 S. Main, Archie, 816-293-5601; Archie residents only
• Belton, MO — Lawn-Corps, 2008 E. 171st St., Belton, 816-761-3046
• Blue Springs, MO — Pink Hill Park, 2715 NW Park Road, Blue Springs, 816-228-0110
• Bonner Springs, KS — North Park, 1200 S. 134^th St., Bonner Springs, 913-422-7010
• Buckner, MO — Yard waste drop-off site, 2500 O’Donnell Road, Buckner,  816-650-3191; Buckner residents only
• Edgerton, KS – Big Bull Creek Park, 20425 Sunflower Road, Edgerton, 913-438-7275
• Excelsior Springs, MO — Recycling Center, 1300 S. Marietta St., Excelsior Springs, 816-630-0755
• Freeman, MO — Yard waste collection site, 105 E. Main, Freeman, 816-250-2902, Freeman residents only
• Gladstone, MO — Regional Brush and Yard Waste Recycle Facility, 4000 NE 76th St., Gladstone, 816-436-5442; Gladstone, Pleasant Valley, Liberty, Parkville and Lake Waukomis residents only
• Kansas City, KS — Alvey Park, 4834 Metropolitan Ave., Kansas City, 913-573-8327
• Kansas City, KS — City Park, 2601 Park Drive, Kansas City, 913-573-8327
• Kansas City, KS — Missouri Organic Recycling, 1260 Alma St., Kansas City, 816-483-0908
• Kansas City, KS — Stony Point Park, 531 N. 86th St., Kansas City, 913-573-8327
• Kansas City, KS — Wyandotte County Park, 600 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs, 913-573-8327
• Kansas City, MO (North) — Leaf and Brush Drop-Off Site, 11660 N. Main St., Kansas City, 816-483-0908
• Kansas City, MO (East Bottoms) — Leaf and Brush Drop-Off Site, 1815 N. Chouteau Trafficway, Kansas City, 816-483-0908
• Kansas City, MO (Southeast) — Leaf and Brush Drop-Off Site, 10301 Raytown Road, Kansas City, 816-483-0908
• Kansas City, MO (East) — Missouri Organic Recycling, Inc., 7700 E. U.S. 40 Highway, Kansas City, 816-483-0908
• Kansas City, MO (South) — Suburban Lawn and Garden Yard Waste Recycling Center, 201 W. 139^th St., Kansas City, 816-941-2438
• Kearney, MO — Recycling center, 504 E. 19th St., Kearney, 816-628-4142 Kearney residents only
• Lawson, MO — Yard waste collection site, 102 Kessler Drive, Lawson, 816-580-3217 Lawson residents only
• Leavenworth, KS — Transfer Station, 24967 136^th St., Lansing, 913-727-2858; Leavenworth County residents only
• Leavenworth, KS — Municipal Brush Site, 1803 S. 2nd St., Leavenworth, 913-682-0650; Leavenworth residents only
• Leawood, KS — Leawood City Park, 10601 Lee Blvd., Leawood, 913-663-9154
• Leawood, KS — Ironwoods Park, 14701 Mission Road, Leawood, 913-663-9154
• Leawood, KS — Tomahawk Park, 3999 W. 119th St., Leawood, 913-663-9154
• Lee’s Summit, MO — Resource Recovery Park, 2101 SE Hamblen Road, Lees Summit, 816-550-1612
• Lenexa, KS — Little Mill Creek North Park, 7900 Cottonwood, Lenexa, 913-477-7100
• Liberty, MO — Bennett Park, 1100 Clayview Drive, Liberty, 816-439-4360
• Olathe, KS — Kill Creek Park, 11670 Homestead Lane, Olathe, 913-538-7275
• Olathe, KS — Heritage Park, 16050 Pflumm Road, Olathe, 913-438-7275
• Olathe, KS — Yard Waste Facility, 1100 N. Hedge Lane, Olathe, 913-971-5178; Olathe residents only
• Orrick, MO — Yard waste collection facility, 34849 state Route Z (Floyd St.), Orrick, 816-770-3607; Orrick residents only
• Overland Park, KS — Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 8909 W. 179th St., Overland Park, 913-895-6273
• Overland Park, KS — Youngs Park, 7701 Antioch, Overland Park, 913-895-6273
• Overland Park, KS — Quivira Park, 11901 Quivira, Overland Park, 913-895-6273
• Overland Park, KS — Indian Creek Recreation Center, 10308 Marty, Overland Park, 913-895-6273
• Paola, KS — Miami County Transfer Station, 23761 W. 327th St., Paola, 913-745-1912
• Paola, KS — Wallace Park, 5 Wallace Park Drive, Paola, 913-259-3620
• Platte City, MO — Yard waste Drop-off site, 500 W. Mill St., Platte City, 816-858-3046; Platte City residents only 
• Prairie Village, KS — Franklin Park, 4798 W. 88th St., Prairie Village, 913-385-4647; Prairie Village residents only
• Prairie Village, KS — Porter Park, 4601 Tomahawk, Prairie Village, 913-385-4647; Prairie Village residents only
• Prairie Village, KS — Taliaferro Park, 2900 W. 79th St., Prairie Village, 913-385-4647; Prairie Village residents only
• Richmond, MO — City hall parking lot, 205 Summit St., Richmond, 816-776-5304 Richmond residents only
• Riverside, MO — Damon Pursell Yard Waste Facility, 6305 NW Riverpark Drive, Riverside, 816-876-8898
• Roeland Park, KS — 48^th St. and Roe Blvd., Roeland Park, 913-722-2600
• Shawnee, KS — Waste Management Customer Convenience Center, 17955 Holiday Drive, Shawnee, 931-631-8181
• Shawnee, KS — Theater In the Park (Shawnee Mission Park), 7710 Renner Road, Shawnee, 913-438-7275
• Smithville, MO — Little Platte Park, Smithville Lake, 16311 state Route DD, Smithville, 816-407-3400
• Sugar Creek, MO — Courtney Ridge Landfill, 1701 N. U.S. 291 Highway, Sugar Creek, 816-257-7999
• Weatherby Lake, MO — 7200 NW Eastside Drive, Weatherby Lake, 816-529-3502; Venita Access Area, Weatherby Lake residents only

Photo: Summer /CC