Denver Recycles’ Roundup
December 2014 Issue
[Editor's Note: Denver Recycles’ Roundup is a monthly news column written by Denver Recycles, a program of Denver Public Works Solid
Waste Management. It includes updates on seasonal and ongoing activities related to the City and County of Denver's residential recycling
programs. Editors are invited to publish all or part of the column; however, we request that you run major edits by our staff to ensure
accuracy of the information. Questions may be directed to Juri Freeman or Tay Dunklee at Denver Recycles, 303-446-3557.]
Recycle Your Christmas Tree with
Denver’s Treecycle Program
It’s as easy as 1,2,3!
Recycling your Christmas tree is as easy as 1, 2, 3 with Denver Recycles/Solid
Waste Management’s annual Treecycle program, which runs January 5
through January 16, 2015.
By recycling your tree through the Treeycycle program, you can help keep
trees out of the landfill, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help create
mulch that is available to Denver residents for free at the annual Mulch
Giveaway in the spring.
Here’s how to recycle your Christmas tree:
1.
Remove all decorations and the tree stand. NO artificial or flocked
trees. Real evergreen trees only!
2.
Set your tree out for collection during the first two full weeks of
January. Your tree will get picked up by a special tree collection truck for recycling.
3.
Reclaim free mulch made from your tree at the Treecycle Mulch Giveaway and LeafDrop
Compost Sale on Saturday, May 2, 2015.
Please note, collection days and set-out locations depend on your trash service type. Manual & Cart customers
should set trees out at their trash set-out locations by 7 a.m. on their trash collection day during the week of
January 5 or the week of January 12. Dumpster customers should set trees in the alley by 7 a.m. on either
Monday, January 5 OR Monday, January 12 for collection sometime during the respective week.
Do not place trees in carts or dumpsters. Trees placed in dumpsters are mixed in with other trash and do not
get recycled. Instead, trees should be placed at least 2 feet away from dumpsters and other obstacles for
collection by the special tree-only collection truck.
Last year, Denver residents recycled more than 20,000 trees. Participate in this year’s Treecycle program and
help us recycle even more!
For more information about Treecycle, the Treecycle Mulch Giveaway and LeafDrop Compost Sale, or other
Denver Recycles programs call 311 (720-913-1311) or visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.
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Common Recycling Mistakes to Avoid This Holiday
Season
Did you know, Americans generate 25 percent more waste than normal between Thanksgiving and New
Year’s? During this year’s busy holiday season, we encourage you to be creative and find ways to first reduce
and reuse, and then correctly recycle all remaining recyclables in your purple cart.
Here are a few recycling reminders that are particularly relevant around the holidays:

NO POLYSTYRENE FOAM (STYROFOAM ®) – This means no
plastic foam should go in your purple cart. This includes packaging
materials (like those used to protect fragile items like computers and
TVs), foam cups and plates, foam food containers and foam packing
peanuts—even if the foam has a recycling symbol on it. Only rigid
non-foam plastic containers (bottles, jugs, jars, tubs, cups, trays)
marked with a number 1-7 are recyclable in Denver.

NO PLASTIC BAGS – Plastic bags cause a lot of problems at the
recycling processing center. Please place all of your recyclables loose in your purple cart. To recycle
plastic bags, take them to a specially marked collection container at your local grocery store.

NO TISSUE PAPER, GLITTER-COATED OR FOIL-COATED PAPER – These types of paper cannot
be recycled, so please keep them out of your recycling cart.

PLAIN WRAPPING PAPER IS OK – You can recycle your plain, non-glitter wrapping paper, as long as
all ribbons and bows are removed. Consider buying plain paper this year or, better yet, use repurposed
materials for a unique and personalized spin to your gift wrapping. Paper grocery bags, newspaper, or
your old maps and posters can make great wrapping paper too!

GREETING CARDS – Plain greeting cards are recyclable, but holiday photo cards printed on
photographic paper, foil-coated cards and electronic greeting cards are not recyclable so please keep
them out of your recycling cart.

SAVE AND REUSE WRAPPING PAPER AND GIFT BAGS – Save money, landfill space, and help the
environment by keeping your gift bags, tissue paper and wrapping paper for use again next year. Also,
consider using re-useable shopping bags as gift bags this year and give your family and friends two gifts
in one!
As you clean up after your holiday festivities, please make sure you only place items accepted by Denver’s
residential recycling program into your purple recycling cart. For additional information and more recycling
guidelines, visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.