Information about the Hawaii County Treecycling Program and additional recycling and solid waste programs is available on the website at www.HawaiiZeroWaste.org. For further information, please contact the county Solid Waste Division at 961-8270.
The county Departments of Environmental Management and Public Works are teaming up to support “treecycling” of Christmas trees through Sunday, Jan. 15. Public Works crews are providing on-site tree chipping at certain locations.
“Please help keep our island green and recycle your holiday tree and greenery,” said a spokesman. Drop your trees at any of eight county recycle and transfer stations in Hilo, Puako, Kailua-Kona, Honokaa, Keaau, Keauhou, Waimea and Waiohinu.
Trees and greenery should be free of all decorations, lights, tinsel and ornaments. Please do not drop off artificial or flocked trees.
Chipping the trees and making the material available for use in gardens allows the county to divert thousands of trees from Big Island landfills and add valuable mulch to island soils. In addition, the free chipping service each holiday season helps to reduce the illegal dumping of holiday trees.
Families are also asked to “treecycle” their new year’s kadomatsu decorations. These traditional Japanese arrangements normally are a combination of bamboo, pine and flowers.
The observance began 600 years ago in Japan as a way of offering luck in the new year.
Information about the Hawaii County Treecycling Program and additional recycling and solid waste programs is available on the website at www.HawaiiZeroWaste.org. For further information, please contact the county Solid Waste Division at 961-8270.