Twelve locations to toss your trees

KAMLOOPS – Christmas is over and you're looking to dump your tree. Be sure to strip it of any decorations, including tinsel and wire, and head down to any of the dozen spots designated for natural Christmas Tree recycling in the city.

There are 12 different depots set up around the city ready to accept your natural Christmas trees until Jan. 15. The depots allow the city to divert the trees from the landfills and use as compost in city parks and gardens.

Last winter more than 3,700 trees were recycled, nearly a quarter of those at the Albert McGowan Park site. McArthur Island, Juniper Park and Westsyde Park were all popular drop off locations as well, with between 411 and 481 trees.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is also ready to recycle both trees and lights. All solid waste disposal and recycling facilities will accept bare natural trees and broken strings of Christmas lights free of charge through the end of the month.

Kamloops Fire Rescue notes four out of five Christmas tree fires happen between Christmas and Jan. 3. It is recommended to dispose of trees as soon as possible since dried out trees pose a higher fire risk.

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To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca, call (250)819-3723 or tweet @JennStahn.

This story was updated at 12:18 p.m., Dec. 27, 2013 to add fire information.