It’s still Christmas, but before you know it and you’ll soon be cleaning up the decorations and preparing for a fresh start to 2025.
When the time does come to dispose of your natural Christmas tree, whether it’s on Boxing Day, New Year’s Day or even later than that, there are a few options around the Central Okanagan.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is once again offering free Christmas tree chipping services to residents around the region.
Here's where you can drop off your tree once Christmas wraps up for another year:
Kelowna
- Cook Road Boat Launch – drop off anytime
- Ben Lee Park (parking lot at Houghton Road) – drop off anytime
- Glenmore Landfill (2710 John Hindle Dr.)
- Open Monday to Sunday, 7:30 am-4:45 pm
- Closed Dec. 25-26 and Jan. 1
- Three tree limit; load must be tarped
West Kelowna and Peachland
- Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre (2640 Asquith Rd.)
- Open Friday to Monday, 7:30 am-3:50 pm
- Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
Lake Country
- Jack Seaton Park (1950 Camp Rd.) – drop off anytime
All five locations will be taking trees to be chipped from Dec. 26 until Jan. 31.
Once chipped, they’ll be turned into a nutrient-rich compost called Glen Grow, which will be made available at several locations including the Glenmore Landfill.
“Residents should ensure all decorations, tinsel, plastic bags and other materials used for transporting are removed before recycling the trees, as these items interfere with the composting process,” explained an RDCO release.
“Trees can also be cut into pieces and placed in the yard waste cart for pick up once yard waste collection resumes on March 3, 2025. Keep in mind prunings and branches must not be longer than five centimetres in diameter and less than one metre long.”
For more information on tree chipping or holiday recycling, visit the RDCO website.
