Christmas tree recycling begins
THE first Christmas trees were being sent for recycling at the weekend.
Trees can be left at Queux Plant Centre, Le Friquet Garden Centre, the Chouet green waste site and Longue Hougue Waste Recycling Facility between now and the end of January.
Operations assistant manager Rebecca Lee, 38, was leaving her tree at Le Friquet.
‘I like to start the New Year completely clean and without the Christmas clutter,’ she said.
‘With New Year falling in midweek and with me having to go back to work, this weekend was the right time to do it.’
Queux Plant Centre owner Nigel Clarke estimated that about 1,000 Christmas trees were left for recycling at his premises last year.
‘We get some trees left between Christmas and the New Year but the majority are left after New Year’s Day,’ he said.
More than 6,000 Christmas trees are recycled in Guernsey in each year. Once collected, trees will be shredded on site before being composted along with the island’s other green waste for use as a soil conditioner. The soil conditioner will be available for people to collect free-of-charge.
States Recycling Officer Tina Norman-Ross said the trees would be put to good use and hoped that as many people as possible would put theirs for recycling. Decorations such as tinsel, baubles and lights should not be left with the trees.
The numerous drop-off points were intended to make it easy for people to take part in the scheme.
‘This could make a great opportunity to spread goodwill by offering to recycle your neighbour’s tree at the same time,’ said Mrs Norman-Ross.
