Ever wondered what happens to your Christmas tree after it is collected by our fantastic volunteers? Just helping ensure every tree collected is recycled by one of our brilliant partners. When a real Christmas tree is thrown into a landfill, it will emit up to 16kg of greenhouse gases as it decomposes (based on a 6.5ft tree). Although this is better than the emissions of an artificial tree (which can emit up to 40kg of greenhouse gases for a tree of the same size), recycling the tree will cause near to no emissions. And with 6-8 million real Christmas trees being bought in the UK each year, recycling our Christmas trees will make a huge impact on slowing down climate change.

So, what happens to your tree after a volunteer picks it up from your home? Well, your tree is usually taken to be chipped down and used in many different ways. Chippers are usually donated to the cause by horticultural companies, and these chippers will be placed in carparks, green spaces, and sports clubs where your tree will be taken to after collection. Once the trees have been chipped, there are many different uses for the chippings, but what your tree will be used for depends on which area you live in, and what the tree chippings are most needed for. For example, your tree may end up being used to:

• Create paths in local parks
• Maintain sports grounds
• Create habitats for wildlife in woodlands
• Create compost/mulch
• Make animal bedding that will be used in farms and zoos
• Create biomass fuel
• Additionally, the whole trees may be used to:
  • Prevent erosion of sand dunes
  • Teach agricultural students how to chip trees.

Wonderfully, many different companies get involved in the recycling process. St. Ann’s Hospice use chipping machines donated by Spectrum Plant Hire and use the chippings to keep down weeds in their flowerbeds. Salisbury Hospice use Ockenden Tree Services, Walsh Tree Services and Stump Grinders to recycle their trees, chippings are then recycled as animal bedding on a local farm or turned into compost.