From wrapping paper to decorations, the most wonderful time of the year can quickly become the most wasteful. The 25 to 30 million Christmas trees Americans buy every year are no exception. When the alleys and dumpsters of Denver inevitably fill up after Christmas, it raises questions for many residents: What are we supposed to do with our trees once the holiday magic has faded?

Tossing your tree in the trash isn’t the answer, says Anna Burrell, director of operations at Wompost, a women-owned compost collection service in Denver. “It actually kind of just sits trapped and festers,” she explains. Without enough oxygen, organic material releases methane, a gas even more potent than carbon dioxide—and a big contributor to climate change.

Instead, experts advocate for composting those old trees. “Composting reduces carbon twice,” Burrell says. The first way is by preventing more greenhouse gases. The second is by increasing land water retention, which conserves water and helps surrounding plants survive.

So, how and where do you dispose of your Christmas tree sustainably? Here’s what you need to know about composting it in Denver.

How to Compost Your Christmas Tree

Before you get ready to send your tree into the next life, remove all the decorations. Tinsel, hooks, or ornaments left on the tree can jam up composting equipment and be a danger to the haulers transporting it, says Burrell. Once your tree is undressed, you’re ready to choose the method that works best for you.

Denver’s Treecycle Program

In 2023, the city launched Treecycle, a seasonal tree-recycling program with 10 drop-off locations around town. Not ready to part with your blue spruce permanently? The trees will be turned into mulch, which you can reclaim at the Mulch and Compost Giveaway in May. Ditch your Douglas at one of the locations below between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Dumpster full of Christmas trees
Trees pile up for recycling at a Treecycle drop-off location. Photo courtesy of the city of Denver

Three weekday drop-off sites are open from December 26–January 31:

  • Cherry Creek Transfer Station (7301 E. Jewell Ave.)
  • Havana Nursery (10450 Smith Rd.)
  • Central Platte Campus (1271 W. Bayaud Ave.)

And 10 Saturday drop-off sites are open between January 11–18:

  • Sloan’s Lake Park, Northwest Parking Lot (W. Byron Pl. and Yates St.)
  • Bruce Randolph School (3955 Steele St.)
  • Fred Thomas Park (2400 Quebec St.)
  • Evie Dennis School Campus (4800 Telluride St.)
  • Central Platte Campus (1271 W. Bayaud Ave.)
  • Cherry Creek Transfer Station (7301 E. Jewell Ave.)
  • Havana Nursery (10450 Smith Rd.)
  • Carson Elementary (5420 E. 1st Ave.)
  • John F. Kennedy High School (2855 S. Lamar St.)
  • Congress Park (E. 9th and Josephine St.)

Add It to Your Compost Bin

If you participate in the city’s compost program, snap or cut off the branches and toss them in. On collection day, they’ll be hauled away to be ground up and composted with the rest of your food scraps and yard waste. (Unless you have the tools to chop it up, your tree trunk may not make the cut.)

Sign up for a Private Compost Collection Service

Not part of the city’s composting crew? No problem. There are local businesses that will collect your waste for a fee:

  • Wompost ($10 for a one-time tree collection and starting at $33.33 a month for a biweekly service)
  • Compost Colorado ($10 for a one-time tree collection or $10 a week for a weekly service)
  • Scraps ($42 a month for a weekly pick-up service, including trees and other yard waste in surrounding Denver areas only, including Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Westminster, and Broomfield)

Compost It in Your Backyard

If learning to compost is among your 2025 New Year’s resolutions, Christmas trees are an excellent kick-starter. For best results, Burrell recommends cutting it up or shredding it first. Green-thumbed residents can use their discarded trees to give their gardens a boost. After you’ve cut up the branches and trunk, sprinkle it on the bottom of your garden bed. It will provide your plants with extra nutrients—and you’ll spend less money on soil.

Contact Local Arborists

When in doubt, turn on that Christmas charm. Try approaching local arborists when you see them working in the area. “They are really nice and will [often] let you toss in a Christmas tree—especially if it’s a clean Christmas tree,” she adds.