The party’s over. Christmas was fun. Now, what to do with your live Christmas tree?
A statewide program, Bring One for the Chipper, aims to keep those dried-out Christmas trees out of landfills. Instead, they are chipped and turned into mulch and compost.
There are local drop-off sites all around metro Atlanta, and we’ve compiled a county-by-county list to make it easy for you to find one.
At many locations, volunteers are on hand to help you quickly unload your tree.
Some even offer a freebie or perk to those who recycle Christmas trees — usually a small seedling or seed packet, while supplies last.
Other sites are completely self-serve — just add your tree to the pile and head home.
Know before you go:
- Remember to remove ALL tinsel, lights, and ornaments from a tree before recycling.
- Note that recycling locations won’t accept trees that have been flocked with artificial snow.
- It’s a good idea to bring a mask with you, so you have one if it’s required at a staffed recycling event.
- Artificial trees are not recycled. They must be disposed of with your trash.
- We strive for accuracy — but please verify dates, times, and locations yourself, because things change.
You may also be interested in:
- NEW for 2020: World of Illumination drive-thru light show
- NEW! Festival of Lights drive-thru light show at Atlantic Station
- FREE: Prism Winter Lights display at Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta
- Lights of Life drive-thru holiday attraction in Marietta
- Discounts for Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens
- Discounts for Stone Mountain Christmas
- Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Home Depot stores (statewide)
Many Home Depot stores have a chipping event after Christmas.
There’s a list here, organized by county. But we recommend calling a specific Home Depot store to find out if it’s participating — and on which days — before you load a tree on top of your car.
Find a Home Depot near you
City of Atlanta
Residents can place their live Christmas tree on the curb with normal yard trimmings, for pickup on the regular day.
It does not have to be bagged.
You can also use the Bring One for the Chipper program — on January 9, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Locations include:
♦ Home Depot Buckhead (2525 Piedmont Rd)
♦ Home Depot Midtown (650 Ponce De Leon Pl)
♦ Home Depot Cascade (1032 Research Center Dr)
You will receive a tree seedling or packet of garden seeds, while supplies last.
View the event flyer
Getting rid of an artificial tree? Follow the procedure for a bulk pickup item.
City of Decatur
City residents can bring live trees for recycling to Decatur Legacy Park, located at 500 S. Columbia Drive.
Recycling dates are Dec. 28th to Jan. 9th. Please look signs to the drop-off site and do NOT dump a tree anywhere else.
There are also two nearby Home Depot locations accepting trees on Jan. 9th from 10 to 2 — see the City of Atlanta listing, just above.
Dekalb County
This info applies to county residents who receive trash services from the county’s Public Works department — NOT from a city or private waste collector.
The county will offer curbside pickup of trees up to 7-feet tall through Jan. 14, 2021. This is an exception to normal yard waste rules that state trimmings must be less than 4 feet in length.
Pickup will happen on your normal yard waste day. Keep in mind that this may be affected by holidays.
The party’s over. Be sure to remove all lights, tinsel, and ornaments from your live tree before recycling.
Fulton County
Residents who bring a tree to one of these recycling events may receive a dogwood or oak seedling, while supplies last.
Please verify the location on your own before you go!
SEE ALSO — the City of Atlanta section, above, for locations in Midtown.
Sandy Springs Recycling Center — through Jan. 18, 2021
470 Morgan Falls Road
Sandy Springs, GA 30350
(Drive to the back of the recycling center)
The Home Depot — now thru Jan. 9, 2021
6400 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd.
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
The Home Depot — now thru Jan. 9, 2021
5950 State Bridge Road
Johns Creek, GA 30097
View the flyer for the above 3 recycling events, which are offered through Keep North Fulton Beautiful.
The Home Depot — one day only, Jan. 9th from 9 to 3
5300 Windward Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30004
The Home Depot — one day only, Jan. 9th from 9 to 1
870 Woodstock Rd.
Roswell, GA 30075
AND
1580 Holcomb Bridge Road.
Roswell, GA 30076
Scottsdale Farms, in Milton, is also accepting Christmas trees. They will chip them into mulch to be used on their blueberry bushes. And if you bring a tree, they’ll give you a voucher for a FREE pound of blueberries that you can use next summer.
Located at 15639 Birmingham Hwy.
Cobb County
Please remove all tinsel, lights, and ornaments.
Do not bring snow-flocked trees.
Recycling centers at parks — now thru Jan. 9th
These are unattended. Please leave trees in the designated area ONLY!
- Fullers Park – 3499 Robinson Road, Marietta
- Noonday Creek Park – 489 Hawkins Store Road, Kennesaw
- Hurt Road Park – 990 Hurt Road, Austell
- Lost Mountain Park – 4845 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs
Home Depot recycling locations — now thru Jan. 9th
These are unattended. Please leave trees in the designated area ONLY!
- Acworth (3355 Cobb Parkway)
- Austell (1200 East-West Connector)
- Marietta (2350 Dallas Highway)
- Marietta (4101 Roswell Road NE in Marietta)
- Marietta (3605 Sandy Plains Road)
- Kennesaw (449 Roberts Court NW)
- Powder Springs (1062 Richard Sailors Parkway)
One day only, on Jan. 9th from 9 to 4 — Home Depot store at 2450 Cumberland Parkway SE
Gwinnett County
This program is open to Gwinnett County residents only.
Drop off live trees, with no tinsel, ornaments, or snow flocking, at Gwinnett Fire Stations between now and January 25, 2021.
Buford
Fire Station 14, 1600 Highway 23, 30518
Fire Station 24, 2735 Mall of GA Blvd., 30519
Fire Station 29, 2800 Thompson Mill Rd., 30519
Dacula
Fire Station 17, 2739 Brooks Rd., 30019
Fire Station 27, 2825 Old Fountain Rd., 30019
Duluth
Fire Station 5, 3001 Old Norcross Rd., 30096
Fire Station 7, 3343 Bunton Rd., 30096
Fire Station 19, 3275 N. Berkeley Lake Rd., 30096
Grayson
Fire Station 8, 2295 Brannan Rd., 30017
Hoschton
Fire Station 18, 1515 Mineral Springs Rd., 30548
Lawrenceville
Fire Station 9, 1900 Five Forks-Trickum Rd., 30044
Fire Station 10, 1131 Rock Springs Rd. 30043
Fire Station 20, 1801 Cruse Rd., 30044
Fire Station 25, 3575 Lawrenceville Hwy., 30044
Fire Station 31, 1061 Collins Hill Rd. 30043
Lilburn
Fire Station 2, 12 Harmony Grove Rd., 30047
Fire Station 3, 4394 Five Forks-Trickum Rd., 30047
Fire Station 22, 2180 Stone Dr., 30047
Loganville
Fire Station 28, 3725 Rosebud Rd. 30052
Fire Station 30, 1052 Ozora Rd., 30052
Norcross
Fire Station 1, 165 Lawrenceville St., 30071
Fire Station 11, 5885 Live Oak Pkwy., 30093
Fire Station 23, 4355 Steve Reynolds Blvd., 30093
Peachtree Corners
Fire Station 4, 5550 Spalding Dr., 30092
Snellville
Fire Station 6, 3890 Johnson Dr., 30039
Fire Station 12, 2815 Lenora Church Rd., 30078
Sugar HillFire Station 26, 6075 Suwanee Dam Rd., 30518
Suwanee
Fire Station 21, 474 Old Peachtree Rd., 30024
Rockdale County
The Home Depot — one day only on Jan. 9th from 9 to 1
1330 Dogwood Drive SE
Conyers, GA 30013
You may also be interested in:
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- Atlanta on the Cheap events calendar
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