Live Christmas trees can be recycled starting Thursday at several locations around Westmoreland County.

Trees that are recycled will be chipped into mulch and spread at community parks, rather than taking up space at a landfill if they are thrown out with the trash, according to Westmoreland Cleanways. One tree makes about 5 pounds of mulch.

“There’s nothing sadder than to see a barren Christmas tree sitting at the curb, to be landfilled and serve no more useful purpose than to take up space forever in a landfill,” said agency executive director Ellen Keefe. “Pledge to take your tree to one of the convenient drop-off sites near you.”

The organization’s Christmas tree recycling program is free, but two groups hosting sites — Boy Scout Troop 239 at Schramm’s Farm & Orchards in Penn Township and Murrysville-Export Rotary — will be collecting donations that will go toward their programs.

Trees must be free of decorations, lights and wrappings used to transport them. Westmoreland Cleanways is being helped in the program by James A. Rutter Company in Murrysville, Penn Township and Youngwood Borough.

Sites accepting trees starting on Thursday are:

• Jason Wilkinson Nursery, Route 819, Armbrust, through Jan. 17.

• Allegheny Township maintenance building, 1169 School Road, through Feb. 2.

• Derry Borough garage, East First Avenue, through Jan. 31.

• Derry Township municipal building, 5321 Route 982, through Jan. 31.

• Empty lot across from Hempfield Area High School, Route 136, through Jan. 25.

• Valley Landfill, Pleasant Valley Road, Penn Township, Monday through Friday 6 a.m.-3:30 p.m., through Jan. 31.

• Level Green fire department, 536 Route 130, Penn Township, through Jan. 20.

• Country Market field, Lower Watershed Farm at the intersection of West Main Street and Springer Road, hosted by Loyalhanna Watershed Association, through Jan. 31.

• Mt. Pleasant Borough compost site, between Kennedy Avenue and North Depot St., Monday through Friday 7 a.m.-3 p.m., through Jan. 31.

• Greenridge Reclamation Landfill, 234 Landfill Road, East Huntingdon, Monday through Friday 7 a.m.-7 p.m., through Jan. 10.

• Youngwood Borough maintenance building, 508 S. Third St., through Jan. 18, Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Other sites that accept trees on certain dates:

• Schramms Farms & Orchards, Harrison City-Export Road, Penn Township, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 4 and 11. Donations will be accepted by Boy Scout Troop 239.

• Windstream parking lot, Franklin Street, Murrysville, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 4 and 11. Donations will be accepted by Murrysville/Export Rotary.

• Unity municipal building, 154 Beatty County Road, Jan. 2-31, Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

• North Huntingdon public works building, 12319 Route 30 West, Saturdays and Sundays in January 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

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