How to get rid of Christmas trees and recycle holiday trash in Manatee County
As the holiday season winds down and Manatee County residents begin to take down their trees and lights, we’ve put together a guide to getting your holiday decor under control.
While many of those decorations will get packed into storage, a live Christmas tree is another story. Getting rid of your tree could be as simple as taking it out to the curb, but you may need to follow some extra rules.
For most people, a live Christmas tree can be collected on your usual yard waste pickup day, as long as it’s properly placed at the curb.
However, if you have a large tree, you may need to cut it into pieces that are less than 4 feet tall. It’s also important to make sure that all lights, ornaments, tinsel and garland have been removed from the tree before placing it on the curb.
Yard waste collection days vary depending on where you live:
- Bradenton: Varies by address
- City of Anna Maria: Monday
- City of Holmes Beach: Wednesday
- City of Bradenton Beach: Wednesday
- Palmetto: Wednesday
- Town of Longboat Key: Wednesday
- Unincorporated Manatee County: Wednesday
Unwrapping gifts creates more garbage, as well. Some of that packaging can be recycled, but most of it cannot. Keep these tips in mind when sorting your trash.
What holiday trash can be recycled?
Clean, flattened cardboard boxes
Paper boxes
Paper cards and envelopes
Plastic bottles and jugs
Rinsed aluminum and tin cans
Clean bottles and jars
Magazines and catalogs
Junk mail
What holiday trash can’t be recycled?
Plastic bags
Plastic wrapping
Aluminum foil and aluminum pans
Batteries and electronics
Wrapping paper
Ribbons and bows
Styrofoam
Christmas trees and Christmas lights
Garland and tinsel
Bubble wrap and plastic air pillows
Plastic utensils and paper plates
When it comes to throwing away the boxes that your gifts came in, local law enforcement agencies encourage you not to advertise your big-ticket items. For example, leaving the cardboard box for a new big-screen television outside could make your home a target for criminals.
To make sure strangers don’t find out about your new gifts, try to break down your large boxes to fit inside the recycling bin or bring recyclable materials to one of the county’s recycling drop-off sites.
Where can I drop off recycling in Manatee County?
Manatee County Landfill, 3333 Lena Road, Bradenton (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
GT Bray Park, 5502 33rd Ave. Dr. W., Bradenton
Braden River Park, 5201 51st St. E., Bradenton
Blackstone Park, 2112 14th Ave. W., Palmetto
Lakewood Ranch Park, 5350 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Bradenton
Buffalo Creek Park, 7550 69th St. E., Palmetto
Bayfront Park, 310 North Bay Blvd., Anna Maria
Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach
Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Dr. S., Bradenton Beach
Bennett Park, 400 Cyprus Creek Blvd., Bradenton
Palma Sola Park, 7915 40th Ave. W., Bradenton
