Christmas Is over. Here’s How to Recycle Your Tree in Pittsburgh

The City and Allegheny County have opened collection centers. And the Scouts will provide curbside pickup in select City neighborhoods as a fundraiser.

December 26, 2024

Virginia Linn,

The,legs,of,a,man,pulling,the,old,christmas,tree

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Christmas tree recycling programs have begun in the City of Pittsburgh and in Allegheny County.

The City has opened 11 collection locations for residents to deposit their trees so they’re not taken to landfills. The collected trees will be chipped into pine mulch and made available to the public for free next spring. Residents must remove all ornaments, netting, tinsel, lights and tree stands before dropping off their trees. In 2023-24, the city recycled more than 2,300 trees.

Residents can drop off their trees through Jan. 26 at the following locations:

Allegheny Center: Sue Murray Swimming Pool Parking Lot, #301 Stockton Avenue
Brighton Heights: Jack Stack Swimming Pool, 600 Brighton Woods Road
Brookline: Brookline Recreation Center, 1400 Oakridge St.
Hazelwood: 40 Melanchton St., 412-422-6545
Highland Park: Highland Park Zoo, 7370 Baker St.
Homewood North: 6814 Hamilton Ave., 412-665-3610
Perry North: 300 Kilbuck Road, 412-323-7209
South Side: South Side Riverfront Park Lower Parking Lot
Squirrel Hill South: Prospect Drive Roundabout, Schenley Park
Sheraden: Sheraden Park Parking Lot, Surban Street
West End: 1330 Hassler St., 412-937-305

In the spring, you can pick up the mulch from the Pittsburgh Zoo overflow parking lot, 7370 Baker St., Highland Park, 15206 from dawn to dusk on April 19 and April 26. Bring your own buckets, gloves and shovels.

If you’re not able to deliver your trees, Girl Scout troops 52498, 16388 and 52482 and Boy Scouts of America troops 9945 and 3945 are offering a curbside pickup service in select East End neighborhoods. This is the 10th year for this service.

For a small donation, the Girl Scouts will pick up trees left outside in Morningside, Highland Park, Larimer, East Liberty, Friendship, Shadyside, Point Breeze, Point Breeze North, Squirrel Hill North, Squirrel Hill South and Greenfield. The Girl Scouts will then take the trees to city drop-off centers.

The Boy Scout troops will pick up from Stanton Heights, Garfield and Bloomfield and deliver trees to Garfield to be used for goat food.

You can register for a pickup here.

Allegheny County has opened nine sites at park locations. These locations will collect trees daily until Jan. 19 from 8 a.m. to dusk. Like the city, all decorations, tinsel and tree stands must be removed. Each year, the county collects about 3,000 trees that also are chipped into mulch. Here are the locations with maps: