July 03, 2025
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Here’s what to do with your used Christmas tree

Also: DeKalb County Health Department coordinates holiday lights recycling through January

By Daily Chronicle staff report
The late afternoon light catches a branch of a blue spruce pine tree on the grounds of Camelot Christmas Tree Farm in DeKalb.

Shaw Media file photo - The late afternoon light catches a branch of a blue spruce pine tree on the grounds of Camelot Christmas Tree Farm in DeKalb. (Danielle Guerra)

DeKALB - There are many options to dispose of used Christmas trees and also be environmentally friendly in DeKalb County. Here’s how to take advantage of opportunities in your neighborhood:

In DeKalb County:

Residents have the option of taking their Christmas trees to the DeKalb County Landfill, 18370 Somonauk Rd., to be chipped into mulch, which is then used as compost sold by the yard, according to the DeKalb County Health Department.

Trees are accepted from Dec. 26 through Jan. 31 each year.

For information, call the landfill at 815-758-6906.

In DeKalb

Lakeshore Recycling Systems, the city of DeKalb’s waste and recycling vendor, will offer residents a chance to recycle their used Christmas trees through the first two weeks in January. Normal pickup will also be delayed one day on New Year’s day, according to the City of DeKalb website.

Trees must be stripped of all ornaments and lights and be left out during regular collection times.

According to a Monday news release, trees which will not be accepted for pickup during the special collection will include flocked trees, trees with shiners, tinsel, light bulbs, glitter, write or plastic, or trees in plastic bags since they are considered a large item.

For questions about DeKalb’s Christmas tree collection, call 815-770-7550.

In Sycamore

Christmas tree collection will run from Christmas through the end of January for Sycamore residents, according to the city of Sycamore website.

Trees must be free of all decorations and cannot be in a plastic bag.

In Genoa

Christmas tree collection will be offered to Genoa residents through the end of January, according to the city of Genoa website. Residents should plan for pickup by Waste Management on the same day as their regularly scheduled pickup times.

Holiday light recycling

The DeKalb County Health Department is coordinating holiday lights recycling for old, non-working decorations. According to the health department website, residents have two options to dispose of old lights through Jan. 31.

Drop-off items will be accepted at DeKalb Iron & Metal, 900 Oak St. in DeKalb from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Call 815-758-2458 for more information.

Drop-offs will also be accepted at Zimmerman Recycling, 301 Industrial Drive in DeKalb from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

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