Where to recycle your Christmas tree in Mayo
Now that the Christmas season has come to an end, households across Mayo will start taking down their decorations and packing them away for another year.
For those wondering how to dispose of their real Christmas tree, Mayo County Council has announced its annual Christmas Tree Recycling Service, with 12 free drop-off locations across the county.
The service will run from Monday, January 5, to Saturday, January 24, giving people several weeks to safely and sustainably recycle their trees.
Trees can be dropped off at the Rathoreen Civic Amenity Centre in Ballina, the Municipal District Depot at Moneen in Castlebar, and the Council Depot on the Ballinrobe Road in Westport.
Additional locations include the Mayo County Council Area Office Depot in Ballinrobe, the Áras Inis Gluaire car park on Church Road in Belmullet, the Derrinumera Civic Amenity Centre in Newport, and the Mayo County Council Pound on Kilkelly Road in Swinford.
In Achill, Christmas trees can be recycled beside the bottle banks at Keel. In Ballyhaunis, people can leave their trees at the car park opposite St Gerald’s Crescent, while in Louisburgh, the designated drop-off point can be found in the car park along Chapel Street.
Horkans Garden Centre in Turlough is also participating in the initiative, and the last recycling location is the car park at the Mayo County Council Area Office on Kilcolman Road in Claremorris.
Christmas Tree Recycling locations across Mayo. Photo: Mayo County Council.
Mayo County Council has reminded members of the public to ensure that all decorations, including tinsel, lights and tree stands, are removed before trees are taken to the drop-off locations.
The council has stated that these sites are the only authorised drop-off locations for Christmas tree recycling. Trees left at any other public locations will be considered litter, and litter pollution fines may be imposed.
In addition, broken Christmas lights and other electronic festive decorations can be recycled free of charge through Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) facilities at the Derrinumera Civic Amenity Site in Newport and the Rathoreen Civic Amenity Site in Ballina.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.