WLSSD's tree recycling program begins today

The Christmas presents are unwrapped, the tins of Christmas cookies are mostly empty - and in many homes, Christmas trees are starting to look a little ragged.

It's time for the annual Treecycling program sponsored by the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District and its partners around the area.

The free recycling program for fresh-cut trees offers multiple drop-off locations that are open 24 hours a day.

"Holiday trees, like yard and garden waste, are banned from the trash in Minnesota," Karen Anderson, WLSSD's director of community relations, said in a news release. "These materials contain valuable resources that can be reclaimed through treecycling. Collected trees will be beneficially reused as fuel, to line paths, mulch garden beds or for other purposes, while recovering resources and saving landfill space."

Six sites in Duluth are open for tree drop-off starting today and continuing through Jan. 10:

• Chester Bowl, Skyline Parkway, parking lot by playground

• Lester Park, Superior Street and Lester River Road, parking lot

• Duluth Heights Community Club, 33 W. Mulberry St., parking lot

• Woodland Community Club, 3211 Allendale Ave., lower parking lot off Woodland Avenue

• Rose Garden, London Road and 13th Avenue East, parking lot

• City of Duluth West Toolhouse, 2407 Commonwealth Ave.

Two sites in Carlton County will be open from Monday through Jan. 15:

• Sappi Fine Paper in Cloquet (gatehouse entrance)

• Moose Lake compost site (across from city garage)

Four other sites in Duluth will be open through Jan. 31, but not all are open 24 hours a day:

• Demolicious, 306 S. Central Ave., weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Veit / Vonco V Landfill, 1100 W. Gary St. (outside the gate)

• WLSSD Yard Waste Compost Site, 2626 Courtland St. (off 27th Avenue West), daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• WLSSD Materials Recovery Center, 4587 Ridgeview Rd. (off Rice Lake Road), Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All ornaments and tree stands need to be removed before trees are brought to a drop-off location.

Wreaths, garland and other decorations made from evergreen branches are not recyclable and should be thrown in the trash, WLSSD said.

More details about the 2016 Treecycling program are available at wlssd.com.

Holiday light recycling

Unwanted or broken holiday light strings and electrical cords can be recycled for free year-round at the WLSSD Materials Recovery Center, 4587 Ridgeview Rd, and at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 1621 Broadway St. in Superior.

There also are drop-box locations through Jan. 8 at:

• Super One in West Duluth and at both Superior locations

• Burggraf's Ace Hardware in Duluth

• Savers in Duluth

• Gordy's Gift and Garden Center in Hermantown

• Campbell's Lumber in Superior