City of Tulsa Offers Holiday Recycling Tips, Christmas Tree Disposal Options

City of Tulsa Offers Holiday Recycling Tips, Christmas Tree Disposal Options

12/19/2025

With the holiday season in full swing, the City of Tulsa wants to remind residents that while many items are recyclable, others should be left out of blue recycling carts.

Common recyclable holiday items include:

• Cardboard boxes
• Wrapping paper (not shiny, without foil or glitter)
• Natural fiber gift wrap
• Paper gift bags (after removing ribbons, string, rope, or plastic handles)

All paper materials can be recycled along with aluminum and steel cans, plastic bottles and containers with a screw-on cap or snap-on lid, and glass bottles and jars. When recycling cardboard boxes, remove any flex film or packing materials like bubble wrap or packing peanuts, as those items are non-recyclable.

Below is a list of items that cannot be recycled in the blue recycling cart and should be placed in the gray trash cart. If you're not sure about what can be recycled, remember, when in doubt, check it out or throw it out.

• Foil, plastic, shiny or glitter wrapping paper
• Styrofoam and bubble wrap
• Plastic bags, flexible film plastics, and tarps
• Plastic strapping
• Ribbons or bows
• Tinsel or ornaments
• Christmas lights, cords, wires
• Tree skirts or stockings
• Blankets or clothing
• Ceramics
• Food-soiled containers
• Electronics, batteries
• Artificial or live Christmas trees

To learn more, visit: https://www.TulsaRecycles.com

Christmas Tree Disposal

In December and January, Tulsans may put live trees at the curb on their primary collection day. Trees need to be cut into 4-foot sections to fit into the hopper of the refuse trucks. Artificial trees need to be put in the gray trash cart.

Tulsa residents also may bring their live Christmas trees to be ground into mulch at the City's Mulch Site, 2100 N. 145th East Ave. Trees brought to the site must have all decorations removed.