Christmas tree recycling available

This year, as has been the practice for several years, area residents will have the opportunity to recycle their Christmas Trees from Dec. 26 through Jan. 12.

Trees will be reduced to chips that can be reused at Northland Arboretum for gardens, pathways and snowmobile trails so people are asked to remove all decorations, tree stands, other metal objects and tree bags.

In the Crosby area, Minnesota Power is not able to accept trees this year as in past years and encourages people to recycle their trees by hauling them to Northland Arboretum in Brainerd. Crosby and Ironton waste haulers will be picking up trees on various dates. Range Disposal will pick up trees in alley-ways in Crosby only on Jan. 8 and in Ironton, the City will collect curbside on Jan. 7.

In Brainerd, you can drop your trees off at Northland Arboretum behind the Westgate Mall any time after December 26.

Sponsors of the Tree-cycling in the Brainerd area are Crow Wing County Solid Waste, Brainerd Public Utilities, Minnesota Power, Crow Wing Power, Range Disposal, Waste Management, Blue Lakes Disposal, Nisswa Sanitation, City of Ironton, Lakes State Tree Service, Brainerd Daily Dispatch, Crosby-Ironton Courier, the Lake Country Echo and the Pine River Journal.

For more information, call Solid Waste at 824-1290.