Those who enjoy a live Christmas tree during the holiday season can do the environment a favor by recycling their tree rather than sending it to a landfill.
“We all love the look and smell of a live Christmas tree. Don’t let its beauty end in a landfill,” said Michael Skapura, executive director of Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling, which operates a recycling center in Pleasant Unity.
Skapura noted that trees brought to chipping sites are turned into mulch to beautify community parks. As that mulch decomposes into humus, it nourishes and renews the soil. It is estimated that one live tree produces approximately five pounds of mulch.
“Let your tree’s beauty go full circle by giving it back to the earth,” Skapura said.
The following sites will accept live trees, without decorations, lights, tree skirts, bags and any other adornments:
• Armbrust: Wilkinson Nursery, Route 819; open dropoff from Dec. 26 to Jan. 16
• Allegheny Township: maintenance building at 1169 School Rd.; open dropoff, Dec. 25 to Jan. 31
• Derry Borough: 1 West Ave. at borough garage, right of salt shed; open dropoff, Dec. 26 to Jan. 31
• Derry Township: Municipal building at 5321 Route 982, open dropoff outside the gate, Dec. 26 to Jan. 31
• Hempfield: Route 136 at Middletown Road, Hempfield Area High School auxiliary parking lot; open dropoff, Dec. 26 to Jan. 16
• Level Green area: Level Green Volunteer Fire Department, 536 Route 130; open dropoff, Dec. 26 to Jan. 23
• Ligonier: Country Market field, lower watershed farm, corner of West Main Street and Springer Road; dawn to dusk, Dec. 26 to Jan. 31
• Mt. Pleasant Borough: Municipal compost site, between Kennedy Avenue and North Depot Street; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday, Dec. 30 to Jan. 31; closed weekends
• Murrysville: Old stone parking lot between Windstream Building at 4792 Old William Penn Highway and Rooz Brew in Giant Eagle Plaza; look for signs with blinking lights; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 3 and 10. Murrysville-Export Rotary will collect donations to fund their projects.
• North Huntingdon: Public Works property, 12319 Route 30 West; 8 to 4 p.m. Dec. 26 to Jan. 31
• Penn Township: 2001 Municipal Court, lower lot, Harrison City; open dropoff Dec. 26 to Jan. 31
• Scottdale-East Huntingdon: Greenridge Reclamation Landfill, 234 Landfill Rd.; see scale attendant for dropoff directions; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, Dec. 26 to Jan. 31. Closed weekends
• Unity: Municipal building at 154 Beatty County Road; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, Jan. 2 to 31; closed weekends
