The City of Austin is continuing its long-standing holiday tree recycling program, which has been in place for nearly four decades. Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) is urging residents to recycle their natural holiday trees by turning them into mulch or compost.
Starting December 26, residents who use the city’s curbside service can leave all-natural holiday trees at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on their scheduled compost collection day. Trees taller than six feet should be cut in half before being placed out for pickup.
There are specific guidelines for recycling trees: flocked trees are not accepted, and all decorations, tinsel, lights, stands, and wire frames must be removed from trees, wreaths, and garlands. Trees should not be placed in bags.
In addition to curbside pickup, all Austinites can drop off their natural trees, wreaths, and garlands at Zilker Park during the 39th Annual Holiday Tree Recycling events. These will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and Saturday, January 3, 2026.
Trees collected at Zilker Park will be processed into mulch. The mulch will be available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis beginning January 8 at 9 a.m., though this date may change due to weather conditions.
More information about the recycling program and alternative drop-off locations can be found at https://austintexas.gov/treerecycling.
According to ARR: “We provide essential services that protect people and our planet. We collect recycling, composting, trash, large brush, bulk items, household hazardous waste and dead animals. We also sweep the streets, offer Austin and Travis County residents a service to recycle and safely dispose of household hazardous waste and provide community outreach and education. ARR is driving the global transformation of traditional waste management to sustainable resource recovery.”
For further details about Austin Resource Recovery’s programs or educational resources visit https://AustinRecycles.com.
