Where To Recycle Or Dispose Of Your 2023 Christmas Tree In London

By Londonist Staff Last edited 12 months ago

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Last Updated 29 December 2023

Where To Recycle Or Dispose Of Your 2023 Christmas Tree In London
A pair of Christmas trees decorated with strings of lights
Photo: Annie Spratt via Unsplash

The lights are off, the tinsel's down, and it's time for your Christmas tree to leave the party. But where can you dispose of a Christmas tree in London? Here's a borough by borough guide.

But before we get stuck into the whats and wheres, here are a few points to keep in mind:

  • Waste collection days often change over the festive period, as do reuse and recycling centre opening hours. Remember to check with your local borough for any amendments.
  • It may sound obvious, but councils only accept the tree, the whole tree and nothing but the tree (and only real trees — artificial ones should go to the tip if you really need to chuck them). That means removing any pots, soil or decorations beforehand.
  • It's often necessary to break your Christmas tree down into smaller pieces, especially if it is being collected in your garden waste bin.
  • Common sense prevails. In areas where you can leave your tree out to be collected with your usual refuse, make sure it's in clear sight but not obstructing the pavement.
  • Dumping your Christmas tree randomly on the street counts as fly-tipping and can carry a fine. You've been warned.

Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham won't take your tree away as part of your collections, but they have special drop-off points for real Christmas trees, open 4-6 January 2024. Alternatively, take it to the Frizlands Lane tip.

Barnet

Barnet residents should leave their Christmas tree at the boundary of their property by 12 January 2024, and it'll be collected on one of the two following weekends — as long as it's been cut in half and all decorations have been removed.

Bexley

Good news for... some Bexley residents. Bexley Council will collect your Christmas tree but only if you're signed up to the garden waste service. This service is suspended over Christmas but picks up again on 8 January 2024, so make sure you've removed all decorations, cut the tree in half, and placed it next to your garden waste bin by collection day. Otherwise, you can take your tree to the recycling centres at Thames Road in Crayford or Maidstone Road in Foots Cray.

Brent

An impressive 22 different Christmas tree drop-off points are opening to Brent residents between 26 December-8 January — see the website for a full list and map to find your nearest.

Alternatively, those signed up to the garden waste collection can pop their tree in there (chopped and stripped, of course). Otherwise, you can pay £35 for a one-off bulky waste collection (combine it with anything else you've been meaning to get rid of — you can dispose of up to five items at once) or take it to the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Abbey Road, NW10 7TJ (closed 25-28 December and 1 January).

Bromley

If you're signed up to the green garden waste bin collection service, chop your tree up and pop it in there (it must be in the bin for it to be collected, chopped up if necessary). Otherwise a number of temporary recycling centres where you can dispose of your tree will pop-up across the Bromley borough for the weekend of Saturday 6 (Norman Park, Bromley; Salt Depot, Green Street Green; and Cotmandene, St Paul's Cray) and Sunday, 7 January 2024 (Unicorn Primary School, Beckenham, and Charles Darwin School, Biggin Hill).

Close up of a Christmas tree branch with red and gold baubles and lights
Remove all lights and decorations before you recycle your tree, yeah? Photo: freestocks via Usplash

Camden

Camden is opening a number of Christmas tree recycling points across the borough from 2-14 January 2024 – these range from local squares, to car parks, to garden centres, and are for Camden Borough residents only. Find your nearest one on this handy Christmas Tree Recycling Point Map — note that the City of London isn't collecting Christmas trees on Hampstead Heath this year, and unlike previous years, there's no drop-off point at Purchese Street this year.

Garden waste subscribers can chop and pop the tree in their usual garden waste bin.

City of London

The City of London operates a Christmas tree collection service where residents can call the City of London Contact Centre (020 7606 3110) to arrange for it to be collected between 27 December-17 January. Trees collected by this service will be mulched and used in parks and gardens. Alternatively, if you live on an estate, contact your Estate Office or concierge for details about where and how you can recycle your tree.

Croydon

Croydon Council will collect your real Christmas tree if you leave it out for collection by Monday 8 January 2024. Alternatively, if you subscribe to the garden waste collection service you can pop it in there. Or, take it to a recycling centre.

Ealing

Leave your tree next to your refuse collection (black bin) to have it taken away the same day the bin is emptied, until 29 January 2024. Alternatively, Ealing Council has a list of parks and open spaces where Christmas trees are being collected, or you can take it to the Greenford Refuse and Recycling Centre.

Enfield

If you live in Enfield and subscribe to the garden waste service, you can pop your real Christmas tree out for collection with that on your usual collection day (chop it so it's shorter than 6ft or it won't be taken). Otherwise, take it to one of several collection points in parks around the borough (full list here) until 28 January 2024, or the Barrowell Green Recyling Centre at any time (though note that you'll need an appointment for that one).

Greenwich

Real Christmas trees will be collected by Greenwich Council as part of your usual food and garden waste collection the week commencing 8 January 2024. Just remove the decs and pop it into your green top wheelie bin on the normal day.

A woman either putting lights onto or removing lights from a Christmas tree
What goes up must come down. Photo: Tim Mossholder via Unsplash

Hackney

If you have a garden waste collection, Hackney Council will collect your tree as part of that, either the week beginning 8 or 15 January 2024. If you don't have a garden waste collection, there are drop-off points at Clissold Park, Hackney Marshes, Haggerston Park and Millfields Road Depot, open 2-31 January 2024.

Hammersmith & Fulham

Between 2 and 22 January 2024, Hammersmith & Fulham will kindly collect your tree as part of your normal waste collection. Simply leave it out the front of the property on your collection day. There are also 10 designated drop-off points around the borough, including Bishops Park and Ravenscourt Park.

Haringey

Food/garden waste collections crews in Haringey will collect your tree. Chop it into pieces no longer than 1m long, then leave it out with your bin on normal collection day. If you live in flats with communal bins, leave it with the communal waste before the end of January. Interestingly, the website requests that you do not put your tree down any communal rubbish chutes in your building — which is a certain sign that someone has done this at least once in the past.

Otherwise, take it to the Haringey Recycling Centre in Wood Green, or one of the six drop-off sites in parks, 26 December 2023-14 January 2024.

Harrow

There don't seem to be any specific collection arrangements in place in Harrow, but you can recycle your tree by dropping it off yourself at the Harrow Recycling Centre in Wealdstone. Note that this centre is for Harrow residents only, and you need to bring both photo ID and a proof of address such as a utility bill.

Havering

If you're a garden waste or compostable sack service customer, simply chop it and chuck it in your garden waste bin. Otherwise, Gerpins Lane House and Recycling Centre will take it off your hands.

Hillingdon

Christmas trees will be collected throughout January as part of residents' weekly garden waste collection — just cut it in half and pop it next to your garden waste on a usual collection day. Flat-dwellers can also leave their trees out for collection between 8-21 January 2024, but you have to email [email protected] to let them know they need to pop by.

A gathering of Christmas trees abandoned on a pavement and spilling into the road
Image: Shutterstock

Hounslow

Christmas trees will be collected by the council between 8-19 January 2024, but do note that Christmas tree collection takes place on alternate weeks to your general rubbish collection. More details on the London Borough of Hounslow website here. If you're a resident of a flat without the black wheeled bin service, contact your resident association to arrange a bulk collection. Alternatively take it to one of the six collection points (Hanworth Air Park, Hounslow Heath, Redlees Park, Bedfont Lakes, Space Waye, Turnham Green).

Islington

Take your tree to one of the eight drop-off points (Elthorne Park, King’s Square Gardens, Rosemary Gardens, Wray Crescent, Spa Fields, Tufnell Park, Highbury Crescent, Paradise Park) between 2-14 January 2024 — or the Hornsey Street recycling centre accepts trees all year round. Trees will also be collected from houses and estates on normal recycling collection day, 27 December-12 January.

Kensington & Chelsea

Kensington & Chelsea residents are encouraged to take their trees to one of several drop-off points around the borough between 2-21 January 2024. Alternatively, the council will collect it from your house on your usual collection day between 2-19 January 2024, although make sure the tree is out the front by 7am or you may miss it. Residents living in flats should ask their property manager if there's a separate collection in place, otherwise it'll need to be taken to one of the drop-off points.

Kingston

Leave your Christmas tree next to your black wheelie bin from 8 January 2024, and Kingston Council will take it away within two weeks. Otherwise, the recycling centre off Villiers Road will take it off your hands at any time.

Lambeth

Lambeth Council will collect your real Christmas tree if you leave it out with your bins on your normal collection day, from 2 January 2024. Note that space is limited so they may not be able to collect them all in one day — if yours is missed, leave it out again on your next collection day. Alternatively, take it to the Smugglers Way or Vale Street Recycling Centres, or the special tree drop-off point at Clapham Common, off Windmill Drive.

Christmas trees lined up along the outside of a building, next to a large yellow bin
Image: Shutterstock

Lewisham

Lewisham Council offers 14 points around the borough where you can dispose of your tree, including Blackheath, Telegraph Hill and Deptford Park. Garden waste subscribers can also put it in their garden waste bin, as long as the pieces are no bigger than 10cm thick and 50cm long.

Merton

Put your tree out for collection by Monday, 8 January 2024, and it'll be collected as soon as possible. Otherwise, put it out with your garden waste if you subscribe to that service, or take it down to the Garth Road Recycling Centre.

Newham

Newham will collect Christmas trees for free, but you do need to book your collection (available 27 December 2023-14 January 2024).

Redbridge

Redbridge residents should leave their Christmas trees out the front of their properties for collection between 8-19 January 2024. Otherwise the Chigwell Road tip accepts garden waste, including real Christmas trees.

Richmond

Richmond will collect your tree for recycling between 8-19 January 2024 on the normal garden waste collection day. Note, you don't have to be a garden waste collection subscriber to have your tree collected. Alternatively, you can take it to one of the seven drop-off points across the borough (27 December-19 January).

Southwark

Southwark will take your tree away with your food and garden waste collection. If you don't have that service, you can request a free collection, or take it to the Reuse and Recycling Centre just off the Old Kent Road.

A Christmas tree lying in the snow next to a brown wheelie bin
Image: Shutterstock

Sutton

Sutton Council collects trees from the kerbside in the two-week period from 8 January 2024. Alternatively, take it to the Villiers Road Household Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets residents who have a food and garden waste collection can leave the tree out as part of that between 8-19 January 2024. Those who do not have kerbside collection services should speak to their caretaker or management company, or take it to the Reuse and Recycling Centre on Yabsley Street.

Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest offers a free tree collection service from 2 January 2024, as long as it's not longer than 6ft. If you have a brown wheeled bin, leave it out next to (not inside) that bin the evening before your collection date. If you're in a property with communal bins, you need to book a separate Christmas tree collection.

Wandsworth

Wandsworth Council will collect your Christmas tree if it's left outside with your rubbish on the usual collection day from 8 January-end of January 2024. Alternatively there are drop-off points at Tooting Common and Battersea Park, and the Smugglers Way reuse and recycling centre is another option.

Westminster

There's no kerbside collection service for Westminster residents. Instead, take your tree to one of the drop-off points, open from 27 December 2023 to 10 January 2024.