MT. VERNON — With Christmas over, those of you with live trees this year will have to get rid of those trees soon. The city of Mt. Vernon has announced drop-off sites for your unwanted Christmas trees.
Republic Services will pick up Christmas trees curbside from January 7th through the 11th for those who have regular city garbage pickup. Trees will be picked up on the customer’s regular yard waste pick up day and taken to a facility to be mulched. Trees must be cut in segments no longer than 3 feet.
The city has also set up drop-off sites at the Veterans Park Softball field on Forest Avenue and at Optimist Park at 903 Pace Ave. The sites will be marked by signs.
All trees must have ornaments, garland, and tinsel removed before being discarded at drop off sites or for pick up on curbside. Also, artificial snow must be removed before discarding trees at either drop off site.
A portion of the trees to be recycled will be used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Rend Lake as fish congregators. They will be bundled together and sunk into the lake to create underwater fish structures, which will provide feeding areas and shelter for the lake’s wildlife.
Trees dropped off and not used at Rend Lake will be mulched by the Mt. Vernon Parks and Recreation Department.