Is It Illegal To Throw Away My Christmas Tree?

For those of you who chose to go with a real Christmas tree, what do you do with them after the holidays? Most cities have a collection site where you can take them, but there is nothing that says it is illegal to throw them in your dumpster. Although I would assume it is not encouraged. I would be livid if one of my neighbors filled up my dumpster with their Christmas tree.

Get our free mobile app

Here are a few things you can do with your Christmas tree:

1. Take it to a local collection recycling site.

2. Chop it up and turn it into firewood or mulch.

3. Put it in a body of water. Since most bodies of water around here are private ponds, you might want to get the owner's permission to put it in there. Putting live Christmas trees in bodies of water like ponds or lakes helps the ecosystem of the body of water grow and thrive.

Now, while it is not exactly illegal to throw away your Christmas tree, here is a list of things that are illegal to throw away in Texas. Know before you throw!

1.  Batteries.

Most states still let you toss standard alkaline batteries, like double or triple A batteries.  Other types can have things like mercury in them, so they're illegal to throw out. That's why when you go to the parts store and get a new battery for your car they offer to dispose of it for you.

2, Electronics

Don't throw out electronics with batteries. Things like old phones, computers, monitors, or anything that has a battery that cannot be removed. You can drop off or dispose of these types of electronics at Staples.

3. Medications

You should never throw out old medications no matter what kind of medication it is. Someone could get a hold of them and could be shared with others. Most cities have disposal places like hospitals or medication disposal drives, where you can drop off old medications for proper disposal. Also, remember it is harmful to flush medications as well.

4. Paint

Paint should not be thrown away because it is flammable and could cause a fire. When I had my rollaway dumpster, it was stressed that paint could not be put in the dumpster. Drop off old paint at hardware stores and they will recycle for you.

5. Tires

I think this one is a given. I think everyone knows you can't throw tires in the dumpsters. This is why when you get new tires, the tire shops offer to take the old ones off your hands. Usually, they charge a disposal fee.

Remember this before you start throwing things away.