Households looking to dispose of their Christmas tree are asked to drop them off at a City of London EnviroDepot this winter. Christmas trees are not collected at the curb until yard waste collection starts in the spring.
The City operates a number of EnviroDepot locations across London. To assist with Christmas tree drop off and other items generated over the holiday season, three additional drop-off days are available in addition to Wednesdays and Saturdays at EnviroDepots:
- Friday, December 27, 2024 | 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday, December 28, 2024 | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Thursday, January 2, 2025 | 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday, January 4, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025 | 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday, January 11, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday, January 12, 2025 | 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, January 15, 2025 | 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
The EnviroDepots are closed Wednesday, January 1 (New Year's Day).
Visit the EnviroDepot webpage for locations and regular winter hours of operation. Before visiting, please remove all decorations, tinsel, garland, skirts and lights from your tree. Fees apply to some items (e.g., bagged garbage is $2 per bag).
Residents can also place their Christmas tree in their backyard if they have space and it will become a habitat for birds. In the spring, trees that are three metres or shorter can be placed at the curb for regular yard waste collection. Please check your 2025 collection schedule for your spring collection schedule.
There are many other ways London households can help waste and recycling operators over the holidays, and understanding what items go where can help London recycle more effectively.
Helpful tips to remember:
Avoid putting containers on snow banks
Help keep collection crews safe and place Green Bins, Blue Boxes and containers on level ground within one metre of the curb.
Put gift wrap and bags in the trash can
Paper items coated with plastic or foil contain coloured dyes and are not recyclable. When mixed with newsprint and other paper, they cause big problems for the paper mills.
Flatten your boxes
With the extra volume of recycling during the holidays, recycling trucks need all the space they can get. Break down, flatten, and tie your cardboard into bundles no larger than 75cm x 75cm x 30cm or stack them flattened in your blue bin. Oversized cardboard may be dropped off at an EnviroDepot for no charge.
Avoid “wishcycling”
Just because you “wish” you could recycle something, doesn’t mean you can. Here are some items that should stay out of the Blue Box:
- Clementine boxes
- Ribbons, bows, and decorations
- Plastic toys
- Styrofoam™ and bubble wrap
- Paper napkins, towels, and soiled paper plates. (For an experienced home composter, paper napkins and towels can be added to a home composter unit)
Green Bin winter tips
To prevent materials from freezing inside your Green Bin:
- Set your Green Bin materials out for collection in the morning, rather than the night before, to reduce the risk of exposure to freezing temperatures
- Drain excess liquids from food scraps before placing them into the Green Bin
- Line the bottom of your Green Bin with a layer of soiled cardboard, newspaper or an egg carton
The new Green Bin and biweekly garbage collection system has been in place for almost one year. The City is collecting additional feedback on the changes that were implemented in January 2024. Residents can visit Get Involved London to share with us how the Green Bin program and biweekly garbage collection changes have been going for their household.
Put fats, oils, and grease (FOG) in the right place
Have leftover gravy from your holiday meal? Don't pour it down the sink or toilet. Fats, oils and grease like gravy or cooking oil can block sewer pipes and cause major issues.
Fats, oils and grease can go directly into your Green Bin. Pour small amounts directly into your Green Bin. Use a certified compostable liner in your Green Bin to contain and/or absorb the material. FOG can also go into a food soiled paper product (i.e. paper egg carton, soiled food paper packaging not coated in plastic or foil such as a paper bag) or use newspaper to soak up.
You can also use a City of London FOG Cup. Keep FOG in the cup, and when the cup is full, it can be returned to an EnviroDepot where it will be used to generate green energy. One full FOG cup can be turned into enough energy to power a refrigerator for a day. Free FOG Cups (limit 2 per household per visit) can be picked up at the City’s EnviroDepots and London Public Libraries.
Alternatively, you can collect FOG in a disposable container, such as a coffee cup, and place it in the garbage. Only City of London FOG cups are permitted in the Green Bin.
Download the Recycle Coach app to help answer what goes where in our recycling program.
Recycle Coach also includes personalized collection calendars, information on London’s recycling program, and collection reminders all accessible from your phone or device.