How to Recycle/Dispose of Christmas Trees & Light Strings

A question that always comes up this time of year is what to do with the family Christmas Tree. Well, thanks to our friends in the Department of Environmental Protection – Division of Solid Waste, we have an answer.

Please take some time to go to their web site to learn how to properly Recycle/Dispose of Christmas Trees

In addition, you can also find some great information here on:How to recycle/dispose of light strings (Christmas lights / holiday lights)

As always – Be Safe!

Winter Holiday Fires By The Numbers

As part of our #FireSafeHomeForHolidays campaign, I wanted to share with you some statistics you might find alarming.  Do not be alarmed, just use the stats to learn some of the most common causes of fire and take proactive action to PREVENT a fire from occurring.

The below stats are from our partners in safety at the NFPA.

Christmas trees

• Between 2009-2013, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 210 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of 7 deaths, 19 injuries, and $17.5 million in direct property damage annually. 
• On average, one of every 31 reported home fires that began with a Christmas tree resulted in a death, compared to an average of one death per 144 total reported home fires.
• Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in 38% of home Christmas tree fires.
• Twenty-two percent of Christmas tree fires were intentional. 
• Two of every five (39%) home Christmas tree fires started in the living room, family room, or den.

Holiday decorations

• U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 860 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees, in 2009-2013. These fires caused an annual average of one civilian fire death, 41 civilian fire injuries and $13.4 million in direct property damage.
• Ten percent of decoration fires were intentional.
• The decoration was too close to a heat source such as a candle or equipment in nearly half (45%) of the fires.
• One-fifth (20%) of the decoration fires started in the kitchen. One out of six (17%) started in the living room, family room or den.
• One-fifth (20%) of the home decoration fires occurred in December. 

Candles

• Candles started 38% of home decoration structure fires. 
• Half (51%) of the December home decoration fires were started by candles, compared to one-third (35%) in January to November.
• The top three days for home candle fires were Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Christmas Eve.

Holiday cooking

• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
• Cooking equipment was involved in 18% of home decoration fires. This can happen when a decoration is left on or too close to a stove or other cooking equipment.

Christmas Tree Fire Destroys a Living Room in Under a Minute

An impressive video giving you an idea of just how fast a Christmas Tree can burn and, likewise, destroy a room by fire.

After watching the video please go below and review Christmas Tree safety tips. By taking proactive steps you will be able to reduce your chances of a similar scene to the video playing out in your home.

Enjoy the holidays safely!

 

When selecting a tree for the Holiday, needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard. A safer option is to buy a fire-resistant artificial tree.

Use a wide-based stand to make sure the tree is secure and will not fall over. Keep your tree in a container full of water, and check it daily.

Keep the tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators and heating vents. Decorate your tree with children in mind. Do not put ornaments that are breakable, have small detachable parts, metal hooks or look like food or candy on the lower branches where small children can reach them. Make sure tree lights are hung out of reach of young children. Also, cut back the lower branches to avoid eye injuries to small children.

Decorate your tree using only UL (Underwriters' Lab Inc.) approved lights and cords. Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections or broken sockets. Do not overload extension cords. Use no more than three strings of lights on one extension cord, and never run an electrical cord under a carpet. Be sure to secure electrical cords so that children cannot pull them and topple the tree.

Turn off the tree lights when you go to bed, depart from home or leave the tree in an unattended room.

Never burn Christmas tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in your fireplace. Dispose of your tree promptly after the holidays.

Holiday Fire Safety

Text Transcript

How to Recycle/Dispose of Christmas Trees & Light Strings

A question that always comes up this time of year is what to do with the family Christmas Tree. Well, thanks to our friends in the Department of Environmental Protection – Division of Solid Waste, we have an answer.

Please take some time to go to their web site to learn how to properly Recycle/Dispose of Christmas Trees

In addition, you can also find some great information here on:How to recycle/dispose of light strings (Christmas lights / holiday lights)

 

As always – Be Safe!

Christmas Tree Fire Destroys a Living Room in Under a Minute

An impressive video giving you an idea of just how fast a Christmas Tree can burn and, likewise, destroy a room by fire.

After watching the video please go below and review Christmas Tree safety tips. By taking proactive steps you will be able to reduce your chances of a similar scene to the video playing out in your home.

Enjoy the holidays safely!

 

When selecting a tree for the Holiday, needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard. A safer option is to buy a fire-resistant artificial tree.

Use a wide-based stand to make sure the tree is secure and will not fall over. Keep your tree in a container full of water, and check it daily.

Keep the tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators and heating vents. Decorate your tree with children in mind. Do not put ornaments that are breakable, have small detachable parts, metal hooks or look like food or candy on the lower branches where small children can reach them. Make sure tree lights are hung out of reach of young children. Also, cut back the lower branches to avoid eye injuries to small children.

Decorate your tree using only UL (Underwriters' Lab Inc.) approved lights and cords. Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections or broken sockets. Do not overload extension cords. Use no more than three strings of lights on one extension cord, and never run an electrical cord under a carpet. Be sure to secure electrical cords so that children cannot pull them and topple the tree.

Turn off the tree lights when you go to bed, depart from home or leave the tree in an unattended room.

Never burn Christmas tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in your fireplace. Dispose of your tree promptly after the holidays.

Christmas Safety

Picking the perfect Christmas tree - At roughly 2:40 in our very own Assistant Chief Charles Bailey provides some important safety tips!

DC News FOX 5 DC WTTG

Holiday Fire Safety

Text Transcript

MCFRS Friendly Reminders

Still have your holiday decorations up?  Do not know what to do with that Christmas Tree?  Did you know you could recycle your lights?

Get your answer to these and other related questions:

How to Recycle/Dispose of Christmas Trees & Light Strings

Reminder to Properly Store and Dispose of Seasonal Decorations

Still looking for a New Year’s resolution? The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service suggest making one that can truly benefit you and your family: Resolve to be Safe in 2012

Christmas Tree and Holiday Light Recycling

Though I am still off for another day winding down my holiday weekend, I thought it important to get out some great information provided by the Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services (DSWS), in the Department of Environmental Protection. Below, please find some great information as it relates to Christmas Tree and Holiday Light Recycling.

Hope everyone has had a December full of health and happiness that continues into the New Year!

-Bill

Christmas Tree Recycling Schedule and Tips

Montgomery County residents may recycle their Christmas trees from Monday, December 27, 2010 through Friday, February 4, 2011 by placing the entire tree at the curb by 7 a.m. on their regular recycling collection day.

After February 4, Christmas trees may be recycled through the County’s curbside yard trim recycling collection program. Because the trees will be chipped for mulch, they must first be cut into smaller pieces.

The Division of Solid Waste Services reminds residents to keep trees in their natural state and to remove the stand and all decorations, including lights, ornaments, tinsel and garland. There should be nothing attached to the tree.

Residents are also reminded not to place trees in plastics bags. Trees with root balls are considered

“live” and therefore cannot be collected as part of this recycling program. In addition, artificial trees cannot be collected as part of the recycling program. Residents might consider donating artificial trees to charitable organizations or offering them for reuse through online reuse networks such as the Freecycle Network at www.Freecycle.org.

Tree branches and needles may be recycled at home by placing them under outdoor trees and shrubs as temporary winter mulch, or they may be chopped up and added to a backyard compost bin.

Wreaths and roping that are typically bound together with wire cannot be recycled unless the wire is removed from the greens. If there is no wiring attached, the greens may be placed directly into paper lawn bags or in reusable containers or bundled as yard trim and placed at the curb for recycling collection on recycling day.

Residents of apartments and condominiums, as well as businesses, should check with their property or business manager for specific Christmas tree recycling instructions.

After Christmas trees are collected for recycling, they are shredded into mulch that will be available in February and March at County-operated Neighborhood Mulch Preserves. The preserves are located at: Montgomery County Recycling Center, 16105 Frederick Rd. in the Derwood/Rockville/Gaithersburg area; and at E.E. Halmos Park (use the Bodmer Ave. entrance) in Poolesville. The mulch is free but must be loaded and transported by the user.

This mulch is good to use on woody plants, such as bushes, shrubs and trees; as a cover material on walkways or other areas where vegetation needs to be controlled; and as a carbon-rich addition to home compost bins. Because the mulch is “green,” it must be aged for at least six to eight months before it can be used on flowers, vegetables or other plants with tender or shallow root systems.

For more information about Christmas tree recycling, the Neighborhood Mulch Preserves and/or using mulch, call 311; 240-777-0311 240-777-0311 from outside Montgomery County; TTY 240-777-3556; or visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling.

Holiday Light Recycling Opportunities

Broken, burnt out and/or unwanted holiday lights used on Christmas trees or around the house can be recycled, but not as part of the County’s curbside recycling program. Residents may take their holiday lights to a number of local retailers for recycling collection or they may send the lights directly to private recycling companies.

For an updated list of holiday light recycling options, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling and click on Recycle Your Holiday Lights.