Options plentiful for disposing of tree
Do it yourself, call it trash, or help out a cause
With Christmas Day in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to get rid of the tree. There are several ways to do so:
Drop it off
Christmas trees under 6 feet with trunks less than 3 inches in diameter can be taken to a Spokane County transfer station or the Waste-to-Energy Plant to be made into compost. The stations are at 3941 N. Sullivan Road and 22123 Elk-Chattaroy Road; the Waste-to-Energy facility is at 2900 S. Geiger Blvd. Decorations must be removed.
In Coeur d’Alene, drop off trees at the Solid Waste Transfer Station, 3650 N. Ramsey Road. Trees must be separate from garbage so they can be recycled.
Earthworks Recycling Inc. will take trees during regular business hours for $5 a tree. The tree will be recycled with the company’s other wood waste. Earthworks is at 1904 E. Broadway. Call (509) 534-1638 for information.
ABCO Wood Recycling will provide free recycling at locations in Coeur d’Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, Sandpoint and Spokane through Monday. The company says the recycling sites are manned by nonprofit organizations that may request donations. For more information, go to www.spokanecleanair.org.
Put it out with the trash
In Spokane Valley, Waste Management will pick up trees under 6 feet tall. Customers should put trees in their green yard-waste carts or next to their normal garbage carts, said regional manager Steve Wulf. Customers who place their trees next to their garbage carts need to be sure to put out their green yard-waste carts, too, or they’ll be charged for removal of the tree, Wulf said. The yard-waste service picks up on the first service day in December, January and February, he said.
City of Spokane garbage customers should cut up trees that are over 6 feet tall. The tree can be placed in or next to the garbage cart. Trees also can be cut up so that they fit into the Clean Green yard cart.
Help a good cause
Another way to dispose of your tree is through school and nonprofit fundraisers.
Ferris High School is raising money for the Senior All-Nighter with tree drop-off Saturday and Sunday, and Jan. 10 and 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $5 to drop a tree or $15 for pick-up. Call (509) 999-5186 to schedule a pickup.
In Spokane Valley, University High School will hold a fund-raiser for the instrumental music program on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $5 for dropping off a tree and $10 for a pickup. Schedule at (509) 228-5307.
Coeur d’Alene High School’s basketball team will collect trees Jan. 10 in the school’s south parking lot. The fee is $2 a tree. The team also will pick up trees for $5; call (208) 704-4986.
Lake City High’s football team is doing the same, on Monday or Jan. 12; trees can be dropped at the school for $2 or picked up for $5 by scheduling that service at (208) 664-1144.