Scouts recycling Christmas trees

In a familiar finale to the holiday season, local Boy Scouts will tour many Clark County neighborhoods Saturday in the annual Christmas tree recycling sweep.

The Boy Scouts of America will collect trees left in front of homes in Battle Ground, Camas, Vancouver and Washougal, starting at 8 a.m.

The service is free, but donations will be accepted; the suggested donation is $7.

Pickup options

There will be several other tree-disposal options, including at-home pickups and drop-off locations.

Waste Connections will pick up trees during its yard debris collection or regular garbage service available in most parts of the county. Trees taller than 5 feet must be cut into smaller sections no longer than 5 feet, regardless of whether they will be collected with yard debris or garbage.

Yard debris customers may put smaller trees into their carts. They also may place a single 5-foot or less tree or section of a tree next to their cart for no additional charge. Customers who place more than one section or more than one tree next to the cart will be charged an extra yard debris pickup fee.

Customers who do not have yard debris service can put trees next to their garbage containers and pay for an extra 32-gallon collection. Trees collected with garbage will be sent to the landfill.

All lights, tinsel, ornaments and other human-made materials must be removed from trees. Flocked and artificial trees cannot be recycled with yard debris.

“We encourage people to recycle their Christmas trees if possible,” Kim Harless, a solid waste operations specialist, said in a county news release. “Recycling keeps those natural resources from being lost to the landfill, and the trees will be reused as mulch or fuel.”

Drop-off options

For $5 or less, residents also can dispose of Christmas trees of any size at the following locations:

• Central Transfer Recycling, 11034 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver, 360-256-8482.

• City Bark, 2419 N.E. Andresen Road, Vancouver, 360-253-8461.

• H&H Wood Recyclers, 8401 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver, 360-892-2805.

• McFarlane’s Bark, 8806 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver, 360-892-6125.

• Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union St., Camas, 360-834-7253.

• Washougal Transfer Station, 4020 S. Grant St., Washougal, 360-835-2500.

• West Van Materials Center, 6601 N.W. Old Lower River Road, Vancouver, 360-737-1727.

For more information on holiday recycling, call Clark County Public Health at 360-397-2121, ext. 4352 or visit www.recyclingA-Z.com.