Live Christmas trees can serve a new purpose when the holiday season is over through recycling at one of several drop-off locations in Westmoreland County.

The trees are typically chipped into mulch and returned to nature and used to beautify community parks, said Michael Skapura, executive director of the Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling, which operates a recycling center at 355 Pleasant Unity Mutual Road in Unity.

One tree makes about five pounds of mulch, which decomposes into humus to nourish the soil.

All decorations and lights, tree bags or wrapping used to transport the live tree to a drop-off site must be removed.

“We all love the look and smell of a live Christmas tree. Let your tree’s beauty go full circle by giving it back to the Earth. Don’t let their beauty end in a landfill,” which ends up taking space designed to store trash, Skapura said.

Westmoreland Cleanways and James A. Rutter Co. of Murrysville are sponsoring the tree recycling programs. Most drop-off locations are free, with the exception of the site operated by Murrysville-
Export Rotary, which accepts donations to fund its projects.

Tree recycling locations and dates include:

• Allegheny Township maintenance building, through Jan. 31

• Armbrust — Jason Wilkinson Nursery, through Jan. 14

• Derry Borough garage, through Jan. 31

• Derry Township municipal building, through Jan. 31

•Greenridge Reclamation Landfill near Scottdale, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, through Jan. 31

• Hempfield Area High School auxiliary parking lot, through Jan. 14

• Level Green Volunteer Fire Department, through Jan. 24

• Ligonier Country Market field in Ligonier Township, dawn to dusk, through Jan. 31

• Mt. Pleasant Borough municipal compost site, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, Dec. 30-Jan. 31

• Murrysville — Windstream parking lot, near Murrysville Market District, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 4 and 11 (donations accepted)

• North Huntingdon Public Works, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Jan. 31;

• Penn Township municipal office, through Jan.24

• Penn Township – Valley Landfill, 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays, through Jan. 31;

• Unity municipal building, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, Jan. 2-31.

The Westmoreland Cleanways recycling center takes strings of Christmas tree lights that Michael Brothers Companies, a hauling and recycling business in Bethel Park, will process to access the copper wiring, Skapura said. The recycling center had filled several boxes of lights this past year, Skapura said.

The proceeds from the sale of the copper retrieved from the lights is donated to Project Bundle Up, which provides, new warm winter outerwear to children and senior citizens from low-income households in Western Pennsylvania. WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh and The Salvation Army’s Western Pennsylvania Division run the program.

The recycling center’s efforts helped Michael Brothers raise funds that provided warm clothing to families in need — not just across the region, but in the Westmoreland County, said Boyd Jones, Michaels Brothers business support manager.

“This program’s impact goes beyond recycling; it’s about ensuring that children, adults and seniors have the warmth they need to face the winter months ahead,” Jones stated in a letter to Westmoreland Cleanways.

For more information, contact Westmoreland Cleanways at 724-879-8576.