As the holiday season draws to a close, the Village of Park Forest is reminding residents of a recycling opportunity: they can dispose of their live Christmas trees in an environmentally friendly way at the Aqua Center parking lot. This initiative will be available until Jan. 18, providing time for residents to recycle their trees after the festivities.
Sustainability Coordinator Carrie Malfeo emphasizes that the Village is committed to sustainability and encourages all community members to participate. The Village is equipped to accept Christmas trees of various shapes and sizes, making it easy for everyone to contribute to this green effort. However, residents are kindly asked to ensure their trees are stripped of all lights, decorations, and ornaments before disposal. This will help facilitate recycling and ensure the trees are processed efficiently.
Malfeo said that recycling your Christmas tree supports local sustainability efforts by preventing it from being sent to a landfill, which will take up space and create methane gas.
"Recycled trees serve a variety of important purposes," Malfeo explained. "One prominent use is the transformation of these trees into mulch. This mulch is beneficial to enhancing community playgrounds, local parks, and residential gardens. It creates a visually appealing landscape and contributes to soil health by retaining moisture and suppressing weeds."
Malfeo highlighted that many residents may not realize that the Village offers the community free mulch and compost. For a delivery fee of $35, residents can have a full dump truckload of these sustainable materials delivered right to their doorstep anywhere within Park Forest. This initiative supports local landscaping efforts and encourages residents' sustainable practices.
Residents can also recycle any damaged holiday lights at Park Forest Village Hall. Malfeo said lights are not accepted in your curbside recycling bin, and you are encouraged to drop them off by the deadline, which is also Jan. 18.