Scouts will collect Christmas trees

With the holiday season now coming to a close, local residents are faced with the question of how to recycle their Christmas tree.

Camas Cub Scout Pack 424 will be among the Boy Scout troops in Clark County using the opportunity to raise some money for club activities.

On Saturday, Jan. 2, Camas residents can leave Christmas trees at the curb for pickup. Scouts and other volunteers will collect and transport the trees to the city of Camas operations center to be turned into chippings.

The $10 suggested donation, in a check payable to Pack 424, can be placed in a envelope and attached to the donor’s front door. Credit card donations can also be placed at www.pack424.org, or mailed to 2115 N.W. Cascade St., Camas, WA 98607.

Other troops with the Boy Scouts of America will also be collecting trees in Battle Ground, Vancouver and Washougal. Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, scouts will pick-up trees left in front of people’s homes. The service is free, but the suggested donation is $7.

Other opportunities to get rid of those trees include:

o Waste Connections, Inc. will pick up trees during its regular garbage service or yard debris collection schedule. Trees taller than 5 feet must be cut into sections no longer than 5 feet, regardless of whether they will be collected with yard debris or garbage.

Yard debris customers may put smaller trees in their carts. They also may place half of a larger tree next to the cart for no additional charge.

Yard debris customers who put out a tree and yard debris cart will be charged for an additional yard debris pickup. Customers without yard debris service can put trees next to their garbage containers and pay for an extra 32-gallon collection.

All lights, tinsel, ornaments and other human-made materials must be removed.

Flocked and artificial trees cannot be recycled with yard debris.

Residents also can dispose of any Christmas tree for $5 or less at Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union St., Camas, (360) 834-7253 and the Washougal Transfer Station, 4020 S. Grant St., (360) 835-2500

“We truly appreciate our service providers, the Boy Scouts and residents who help keep trees out of landfills,” said Don Benton, Clark County environmental services director.

For more information on holiday recycling, call Clark County Environmental Services at (360) 397-2121, Ext. 4352, or visit clark.wa.gov/environmental-services/recycling-a-to-z.