Tree recycling encouraged

Boulder City residents can recycle their Christmas trees for free from Monday, Dec. 26, until Jan. 15.

Trees can be dropped off 24/7 in the recycling container at Bravo Field near the corner of Eagle Drive and Sixth Street.

The Boulder City recycling program is part of an effort to keep trees out of landfills in Southern Nevada and is done in partnership with BC Waste Free and the city of Henderson. Last year 17,822 trees were recycled.

“Christmas trees are more environmentally friendly compared to plastic trees if they are recycled,” said Tara Pike-Nordstrom, UNLV recycling manager and member of the Christmas Tree Recycling Committee.

Before dropping off trees, remove all nonorganic objects such as lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments and nails. Foreign objects can contaminate the mulch and ruin the chipper. Trees with artificial snow cannot be recycled.

For those who are unable to bring their tree to a drop site, a local company called Move It will do it for a $25 fee. Use the discount code TREE25 when reserving your pick-up and drop-off at gomoveit.com.

After the trees are recycled, they are turned into organic mulch, which residents can collect at no cost from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Wednesday, Dec. 28, to Jan. 19. The mulch is available on a first-come, first-served basis at Pecos Legacy Park, 150 N. Pecos Road, and Acacia Park, 50 Casa Del Fuego St., both in Henderson.

Those coming to get mulch should bring their own shovel and a container.

Mulch is distributed among the community as well.

“We give it to (Clark County School District) school gardens, Gilcrease Orchard and it is used by the Nevada Division of Forestry,” Pike-Nordstrom said.

When chipped into mulch, cut trees become valuable organic material used in landscaping projects that help conserve soil moisture and keep plants healthy.

“Mulch helps with dust control, which is important in the valley, and water conservation as it keeps water from evaporating and breaks down to nutrients in the soil.”

The holidays are also a good time to recycle the cardboard, plain gift bags and cards that accumulate during the season. BC Waste Free accepts a variety of these items for recycling from their customers. A complete list can be found at https://bcwastefree.com/faqs.

For more information about tree recycling, call Boulder City Public Works at 702-293-9301 or BC Waste Free at 702-293-2276.