Recycle your Christmas tree

ROSEBURG -- The most wonderful day of the year is, unfortunately, soon followed by the not-so-happy day when residents must take down their Christmas tree -- encouraged by City and Fire Department officials to prevent fire hazards in Roseburg.

Dried-out Christmas trees are a fire hazard, so Roseburg officials urge people not to leave dried-out trees in the home or garage, or just outside the home.

After Christmas, recycle the tree as mulch in your own garden or dispose of the tree.

For $15, Roseburg Disposal will pick up customers’ bare Christmas trees that are left by the curb with a trash can. Trees left by the curb must be cut in half if they’re more than 4 feet tall, said Roseburg Disposal Office Manager Jamie Stewart.

Roseburg Disposal also is setting up 10 large dumpsters around town where residents can drop off whole trees for free recycling from Monday, Dec. 27, through Monday, Jan. 10. The trees will be recycled into mulch, so the company urges residents to remove everything from the tree and place only trees in the boxes – no garbage, metal stands, ornaments, lights, flocking, plastic bags or other refuse.

“We at Roseburg Disposal are thrilled to announce that we are continuing our Christmas tradition of collecting Christmas trees for free and are happy to offer this as a gift to our community,” General Manager Dori John wrote in a press release. “Please: Help us keep offering this free service by not putting garbage in these boxes.”

Here are free drop-off locations:

• Legion Field in Stewart Park, Roseburg
• Kline Street, at Hucrest School, Roseburg
• Corner of Calkins Road and Jefferson Street, Roseburg
• Totem Market, 5581 N.E. Stephens St., Winchester
• Sherm’s Thunderbird Market, 2553 N.W. Stewart Parkway, Roseburg
• Kowloon Restaurant, 2686 N.E. Diamond Lake Blvd., Roseburg
• Former Umpqua Auction, 1028 N.E. Stephens St., Roseburg
• Old Safeway site, 480 S.E. Rose St., Roseburg
• Redeemer’s Fellowship/Old Harvard Avenue Cinema parking lot, 3031 W. Harvard Ave., Roseburg
• Gaddis Park, Roseburg