Christmas Tree Composting in Prince William County

Christmas is over. As a part of the yard waste collection program instituted this past fall, the cut Christmas Trees will be picked up by trash collectors on yard waste collection day, the first two full weeks ofJanuary.

Remove all ornaments, lights, decorations, tinsel, nails and the tree stand and put your cut tree (and any other holiday greenery) out by the curb where you place your usual yard waste.  The tree will be picked up for composting at the Balls Ford Road Composting Facility during your regular yard waste pickup day. You may also drop the tree off  at several locations:  

• Balls Ford Road Compost Facility at 13000 Balls Ford Road in Manassas. Monday - Saturday, 7:30 am – 5 pm; Sunday, 8 am – 5 pm until January 9^th then closed on Sundays. The facility is closed New Year's Day.
• Prince William County Landfill at 14811 Dumfries Road in Manassas, Monday - Saturday, 6 am – 6 pm; Sunday, 8 am – 5 pm until January 9^th then closed on Sundays. The facility is closed New Year's Day.
• Leesylvania State Park located at 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Drive in Woodbridge (off Neabsco Road). Trees may be dropped off at Shelter 2 and will be used for habitat.
• The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), located at 5399 Wellington Branch Road in Gainesville, also has a drop-off area for Christmas trees from Dec. 26 to Jan. 13. The drop-off area is located in the front parking lot in the area outlined with the orange safety cones. 

In case you missed it, beginning last October, residents,businesses, and landscapers in Prince William County were required to separateyard waste from the regular trash for disposal (subject to a $50 per day fine).  Under the new County regulation curbside yard waste collection program began October 1 throughout Prince William County. Yard waste began to be collected separately from trash and recycling.  Yard waste must be placed in biodegradable paper bags or containers labeled “Yard Waste”.

Yard waste collection is seasonal and will run March through December (plus the annual Christmas tree pickup). Check with your trash and recycling hauler for your yard waste collection day (ours is Monday). Yard waste material will be composted at the newly expanded Balls Ford Road Compost Facility versus landfilled. This will add up to 15 years to the Prince William County Landfill’s useful life. 

For curbside collection, yard waste must be placed in compostable paper yard waste bags or loose in a  personal container labeled “Yard Waste."    Labels are available at the Prince William County Landfill and the Balls Ford Road Compost Facility, however, home-made labels are just fine. 

From late December through mid-January, Loudoun County residents can drop their Christmas trees to for recycling at several locations:

• Leesburg: Loudoun County Landfill Recycling Dropoff Center (21101 Evergreen Mills Road)
• Lovettsville: Game Protective Association (16 South Berlin Pike)
• Purcellville: Franklin Park (17501 Franklin Park Drive)
• South Riding: Town Hall (43055 Center St.)
• Sterling: Claude Moore Park (46150 Loudoun Park Lane)

 

In Fairfax County Christmas trees less than eight feet tall can be set out with the trash at single-family and townhouse communities during the first two weeks of January. Due to labor shortages collectors temporarily have the option to pick up Christmas trees with trash. Contact your collection company to verify their pickup dates,

Fairfax County residents can drop off their trees for recycling at the I-66 Transfer Station or the I-95 Landfill Complex. There is a $7 fee to recycle your tree in Fairfax County. All ornaments, decorations (including tinsel) and stands must be removed prior to disposal