Christmas tree collection in York: every way to get rid of your tree

Every January the same question comes up across York: what do I do with the tree? There is no free council doorstep Christmas tree collection in York, but there are four decent options. This guide covers each one, plus artificial trees and what not to do.

01Your options at a glance

02Putting a real tree in the green bin

City of York Council lists Christmas trees and natural wreaths as accepted in the green garden waste bin. The condition is that they are chopped up so they fit inside the bin with the lid closed. Nothing left poking out or leaning against the bin will be taken.

Christmas decorations are on the council’s list of items not collected in the green bin. That includes artificial wreaths, so check whether yours is real foliage or plastic.

There are two catches worth knowing:

• It is a paid scheme. Green bin collections are an opt-in subscription. The 2026 season cost £52 per bin. If you do not subscribe, the bin is not emptied.
• The season stops over winter. York’s 2026 green bin season runs from 2 March to 4 December. A tree cut up in January sits in the bin until collections restart in spring, and only if you renew for 2027.

Prices and season dates change yearly, so check the council garden waste scheme page and your collection calendar. Our York bin collection guide explains how each York bin works.

How to cut a tree down to fit

1. Lay a dust sheet or old duvet cover on the floor and walk the tree out on it. It saves hoovering needles out of the carpet until March.
2. Outside, cut the lower branches off with loppers or a pruning saw, working from the bottom up.
3. Saw the trunk into lengths shorter than the bin is deep.
4. Pack the trunk sections in first and the branches on top so the lid closes.

A six-foot tree usually fills most of a green bin on its own. If you have other garden waste waiting, it may take two collections.

03Taking it to Hazel Court or Towthorpe

Both York household waste recycling centres accept real Christmas trees, which go for composting. It is free for York residents. Put the tree in the green waste or wood area, not general waste.

The first week of January is one of the busiest times of year at both sites. Going on a weekday morning helps. Our guides to Hazel Court and Towthorpe tip cover booking, permits and what else each site takes.

Cover the boot or back seat with a sheet first. A dry tree drops a surprising amount of needles and sap in a car.

04The York Round Table charity tree collection

The nearest thing York has to a dedicated Christmas tree collection is run by York Round Table, working with City of York Council and Yorwaste. The money raised goes to a chosen local charity.

In January 2025 the arrangement was:

• Drop-off: a £5 donation to leave your tree at Tesco Extra, Askham Bar, on a set Saturday in early January.
• Collection: a £10 donation per tree for a booked pickup from your home.
• Charity: York Foodbank. The January 2024 collection raised £2,500 for the foodbank.

The dates, prices and chosen charity are set fresh each year. Details for January 2027 usually appear on the council festive recycling page in December. Collection slots are limited, so book early if you want a pickup.

05Artificial trees, pot-grown trees and wreaths

Artificial trees

Plastic trees are made of mixed materials, wire and plastic needles, so they cannot be recycled at the kerbside. The council is clear that artificial trees and wreaths should not go in your recycling boxes.

• Still in good condition? Charity shops often take them in October and November, ahead of Christmas. Freecycle and local Facebook groups also work. See our guide to giving things away free in York.
• Broken or shedding? Take it to Hazel Court or Towthorpe as general waste.
• Too big for the car? Have it collected with other bulky waste in York.

Pot-grown trees

A tree sold with roots in a pot can be kept outside and brought in again next year. Water it, keep it away from radiators while it is indoors, and move it out as soon as Christmas is over.

Wreaths and garlands

Natural wreaths can go in the green bin once the wire frame, ribbon and decorations are removed. The wire frame goes in general waste or the scrap metal container at the tip.

06What not to do with your tree

Every January, trees turn up dumped on verges, in alleys and beside communal bins. That counts as fly-tipping, however harmless it looks.

• Do not leave it on the street or by a communal bin. Councils in England can now issue fixed penalties of up to £1,000 for fly-tipping. See the City of York Council fly-tipping page.
• Do not hand it to an unlicensed collector. If someone takes your waste and dumps it, you can be held responsible. Check any collector on the Environment Agency waste carrier register first.
• Do not burn it in the garden. Pine sap spits and smokes heavily, and smoke from bonfires can count as a statutory nuisance for neighbours.
• Do not squeeze it into the black bin. It will only be taken if the lid closes, and a tree in general waste is not composted.

07When a collection makes more sense

The green bin and the tip are free or close to it, and they suit most trees. A paid Christmas tree collection in York starts to make sense when:

• The tree is big. Anything over seven feet is a lot of cutting to fit in a bin, and it will not go in most cars.
• You do not have a green bin subscription or a car. Common in flats and terraced streets around the city centre.
• There is more than a tree. Boxes, packaging, a replaced sofa or an old TV from Christmas can all go in the same collection.
• You want it gone now. Without waiting for the green bin season or a Round Table date.

Mukin collects Christmas trees across York as part of our garden waste collection and waste removal service. We carry it out of the house ourselves, and real trees go for composting.

Send a photo by WhatsApp or call Aaron on 07857 386029 for a fixed price. We hold an Upper Tier Waste Carriers Licence (CBDU585818) and a waste transfer note comes with every job.