Once Christmas is over what do you do with your Christmas tree?
Well you should always be prepared – and the Scouts are on hand to help.
Eight million real Christmas trees are bought every year in the UK, the equivalent of all the trees in London, but after the lights are switched off and the tinsel has come down, many end up discarded on the streets.
Households generate nearly a third more waste over the festive season than any other time of the year – with the Local Government Association estimating it costs the taxpayer nearly £100 for every 40 Christmas trees sent to landfill.
So here are places you can recycle your real Christmas tree and when.
Holmfirth and Honley Scouts : Saturday January 7 home collection and environmental disposal service for a £5 donation. To arrange collection email trees@1sthv.co.uk before January 6. They collect throughout the Holme Valley, Meltham, Netherton, Newsome and Berry Brow.
Marsden : Marsden Scouts are collecting and recycling Christmas trees for a £5 donation. This year the participating Scouts will be putting the money raised towards a trip to the International Scout Centre in Switzerland. Visit www.facebook.com/marsdenscoutschristmastree for details.
Shelley: Again, Shelley Scouts will collect trees in return for a £5 donation.
A local farm has agreed to mulch the trees and recycle the chippings back onto the land after it has been used as bedding for the cattle.
The Scouts will collect from Shelley, Shepley, Skelmanthorpe, Kirkburton, Highburton, Emley, Upper Cumberworth and Lower Cumberworth. Collection will be on Sunday January 8 from 10am onwards. Bookings can be made until January 7 by calling 07742 897772 or emailing Shelleyxmastrees@gmail.com
Slaithwaite: Scouts will be recycling Christmas trees in the circle car park off Carr Lane on Saturday and Sunday January 7 and 8 for a £5 donation.
Ogden Water, Halifax: re-uses the trees as a natural barrier.
Christmas trees can be dropped off outside the classroom, opposite the visitor centre until the end of January. Trees can also be recycled at any of the local Household Waste Recycling Centres in Calderdale.
Other ideas:
Re-plant your tree to try give it a new lease of life.
If you have a log-burning stove, chop it into firewood.
The more creative can make ornaments from the wood.
Create a habitat with it. Leave it in the garden and it’ll attract wildlife.
