Mayor Brandon Johnson, Department of Streets and Sanitation and Chicago Park District Host Annual Holiday Tree Recycling from January 3-17 at 27 Locations Citywide

Mayor Brandon Johnson, Department of Streets and Sanitation and Chicago Park District Host Annual Holiday Tree Recycling from January 3-17 at 27 Locations Citywide

Recycling holiday trees diverts materials from landfills, reduces greenhouse gas emissions

CHICAGO - Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) and the Chicago Park District today announced that the City's annual Holiday Tree Recycling Program runs from January 3-17, at 27 locations citywide.

"For over thirty years, the City has been hosting holiday tree recycling for Chicago residents," said DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard. "The annual program is just one of the many sustainability programs we are proud to offer Chicago residents, so we can all work together to fight the effects of climate change."

Chicago's holiday tree recycling program helps the City divert organic material from the waste stream, converting it to sustainable resources and ultimately helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, 22,000 trees were recycled through the program, and 411,000 trees have been recycled since the program's inception in 1990.

"As the City's leading greening stewards, the Chicago Park District is pleased to join DSS to host the annual Holiday Tree Recycling program," said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. "After the holidays have ended, we encourage Chicago families to bring their undecorated trees to one of the 27 Parks and City service locations. Trees will be converted to free mulch that will be used at parks and homes to contribute to the overall health and beauty of our lawns and gardens."

Live and natural holiday trees can be dropped off inside the tree recycling corrals at the designated locations. All ornaments, lights, tinsel, and tree stands must be removed before the tree is dropped off, and plastic bags used for transport should also be removed prior to placing the trees in the corrals.

"The holiday season is a time for giving back, and I can think of no better way to end the giving season than by ensuring that your holiday tree becomes fresh mulch for your community," said Angela Tovar, Chicago's Chief Sustainability Officer and Department of Environment Commissioner. "We commend DSS for their continued work to reduce landfill waste and make Chicago more sustainable, one tree at a time."

This year, 27 citywide drop-off locations are available for residents, with six locations offering free mulch beginning Monday, January 5, denoted in parentheses:

• BESSEMER PARK - 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.
• CLARK PARK - 3400 N. Rockwell St.
• FORESTRY SITE - 900 E. 103rd St. (free mulch available)
• GARFIELD PARK - 100 N. Central Park Ave.
• GRANT PARK - 900 S. Columbus Dr.
• HIAWATHA PARK - 8029 W. Forest Preserve Dr.
• HUMBOLDT PARK BOATHOUSE - 1369 N. Sacramento Ave.
• JACKSON PARK - 6300 S. Cornell Ave.
• KELVYN PARK - 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.
• KENNEDY PARK - 2427 W. 113th St.
• LAKE MEADOWS PARK - 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.
• LINCOLN PARK - East side of Cannon Dr., north of Fullerton Ave. (free mulch available)
• MAHALIA JACKSON PARK - 8385 S. Birkhoff Ave.
• MARGATE PARK - 4921 N. Marine Dr. (free mulch available)
• MARQUETTE PARK - 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.
• MCKINLEY PARK - 2210 W. Pershing Rd.
• GREENWOOD PARK - 3721 W. 111th St. (free mulch available)
• NORTH PARK VILLAGE - 5801 N. Pulaski Rd. (free mulch available)
• NORWOOD PARK (Service Yard) - 5800 N. Avondale Ave.
• PORTAGE PARK - 4100 N. Long Ave.
• RIIS PARK - 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.
• ROWAN PARK - 11546 S. Avenue L
• SHERIDAN PARK - 910 S. Aberdeen St.
• WALSH PARK - 1722 N. Ashland Ave.
• WARREN PARK - 6601 N. Western Ave. (free mulch available)
• WENTWORTH PARK - 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.
• WEST CHATHAM PARK - 8223 S. Princeton Ave.

Residents can also visit the Holiday Tree Recycling page to view an interactive map showing all drop-off locations. For more information on the City's ongoing recycling efforts, visit chicagorecycles.org.

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About the Chicago Park District

The Chicago Park District has served Chicago residents for more than 90 years.  It is a Gold Medal Award-winning organization, which recognizes excellence in park and recreation management across the nation.  For more information about the Chicago Park District's more than 8,800 acres of parkland, more than 600 parks, 26 miles of lakefront, 12 museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, over 75 nature areas, thousands of special events, sports and entertainment programs, please visit https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact the Chicago Park District at 312/742.PLAY or 312/747.2001 (TTY). Want to share your talent? Volunteer in the parks by calling, 312/742.PLAY. Follow us on Facebook @ChicagoParkDistrict and on Instagram and Twitter @chicagoparks.

About the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation

The Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) is one of the largest non-emergency departments with a team of over 2,000 employees who provide critical city services, including sanitation, recycling, composting, forestry, snow/ice operations, street sweeping, graffiti removal, rodent control, traffic services and more. Together we work each day to help make the physical environment safer and more equitable for residents in every Chicago neighborhood. Follow DSS on Facebook, X, and Instagram.