From pilot project to permanent practice, city staff are giving the thumbs up to curbside Christmas tree collection.
In a report going to the Civic Works Committee on Tuesday, staff recommend permanently adopting the practice of collecting discarded Christmas trees at the curb through a dedicated green week each January.
The recommendation comes after a successful pilot project this year that saw roughly 11,700 Christmas trees collected curbside on two Saturdays in January and at city EnviroDepots. Opting for curbside collection over the previous temporary Christmas tree drop-off depots increased convenience for Londoners and diverted more trees from landfills, according to staff.
A week long collection period would limit the amount of time trees sit at the curb, cutting down on the chance of them becoming buried or frozen in the snow. The plan would also see EnviroDepots open for three additional days for those who prefer to drop off their trees or have excess holiday garbage to dispose of.
If approved, the new green week slated for January 8 to 13 next year would cost $60,000 annually. That is approximately the same cost as the old drop-off depot system.
Roughly 17 other municipalities in the province provide curbside Christmas tree pick-up.
