Christmas tree pickup and special holiday trash

Published on December 25, 2023

Starting Dec. 26, Lakewood residents can recycle their Christmas trees and get extra holiday trash hauled away with assistance from the city’s waste hauler, EDCO Waste Disposal Co.  

Christmas tree disposal

From Dec. 26 through Jan. 6:

EDCO will pick up discarded Christmas trees left on your parkway or next to the curb on your trash collection day between Dec. 26 and Jan. 6.

Remember that trash pickup days are delayed by one day the weeks of Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. (Normal Monday pickups will be picked up on Tuesday, etc.) Flocked trees are OK, but decorations, tinsel, and metal or plastic stands must be removed. Wooden tree stands can be left on the tree. The tree must not be in a bag. Trees over six feet tall must be cut in half.

Beginning Jan. 8, trees can be disposed of in this manner: 

• Cut up your tree in 4-foot or smaller lengths and place it in the green cart (if unflocked) so it fits with the lid closed.
• Flocked trees must be cut and placed in the regular trash cart, as they can’t be recycled. The pieces must fit with the lid closed.
• Or, either kind of tree may be left curbside if they are cut to 4’ in length and bundled and tied together (not loose).

Holiday-related extra trash service

For the week immediately following Christmas, from Dec. 26-30, EDCO will pick up the extra holiday trash on your trash pickup day.

You should continue to use your existing carts as much as possible, but you can also leave up to 10 standard-size trash bags about two feet from your cart for pick-up. Holiday and appliance boxes may be left there as well.

There is no charge for this extra service and no need to call EDCO in advance.

No bulky item pickup service from Dec. 26 to Jan.6

The service starts again on Monday, Jan. 8.

To use it, call EDCO at 562-531-3054 by 3:30 p.m. at least one day before your normal trash day.

Learn more about the Bulky Item Pickup service.