What To Do With That Christmas Tree?

SEBRING - Christmas decorations are going back into boxes, but what happens to that live tree that brought holiday cheer?

Residents just have to cart the tree, with the ornaments and tree stand removed, to the curb and solid waste officials will take care of the rest.

Richard Gorman, landfill operation manager for Highlands County, said the county residents' Christmas trees are picked up with the yard waste and mixed with dirt and sand to make a ground cover at the Highlands County Landfill.

The ground cover, which is spread over the landfill daily, is used for odor control and as a barrier from intrusion by birds and animals.

Gorman said because county residents' yard waste is only picked up once every two weeks, the trees may be at the curb for a few days. Yard waste is collected on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month for Tuesday/Friday customers and the first and third Wednesday of the month for Monday/Thursday customers.

"It's no cause to worry if the tree is not picked up right away," Gorman said. "If people are really in a hurry to get rid of the tree, they can bring it out to the landfill."

Residents who want to get rid of the tree can take it to the landfill, located on Arbuckle Creek Road, but they will be charged at least $10 to dispose of it.

Ernest Johnson said Sebring residents can put their trees out with the solid waste on the normal pick-up day, and the trees will be mulched with the trash. Johnson said the mulch is used as cover at the landfill.

Avon Park and Lake Placid residents should be put out with yard waste.

Another option is to recycle the live tree by creating a fish habitat in the lake.

"We encourage the enhancement of fish habitat on any lake, but people need to know how to do it right," said Erin McCarta, assistant lakes manager for Highlands County.

She said the tree should be completely submerged in water. She suggested weighing it down or using biodegradable twine to bind several trees together.

"People who are going to do that need to make sure the water is deep enough the tree will remain submerged even if the water level goes down," McCarta said.