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Season’s leavings: How to dispose of your Christmas tree

A pair of Grand County residents drag a freshly cut Christmas tree through the snow near Idleglen Staging Area. There are several options local citizens have when it comes to disposing of their natural Christmas trees.
File photo

With Christmas now firmly in the rearview mirror many Americans are beginning the process of cleaning up and clearing out holiday decorations including disposing of the centerpiece of the season: Christmas trees.

Natural Christmas trees are a popular feature of holidays in the High Country. Every year several area vendors offer natural Christmas trees for purchase while many residents choose to cut their own down from within our local national forests. But after friends and family have departed and plastic lights and glass ornaments have been repacked away disposing of a natural Christmas tree can present challenges of its own.

There are several options available to citizens looking to dispose of Christmas trees with varying levels of ease depending upon location. Natural trees purchased from Murdoch’s in Fraser or those harvested locally can be taken to 855 Grand County Road 731 to the Kotrba family residence. The Kotrbas accept natural Christmas trees that have not been sprayed with any chemicals, such as herbicides, pesticides or fungicides, which they use as a source of feed for their goats.

A statement put out by Fraser Assistant Town Manager Michael Brack on Monday provided additional details.

“You can drop off your Christmas tree at the designated drop off area anytime at 855 County Road 731 in Fraser right behind the rodeo grounds,” stated Brack. “There is no charge to drop off your tree.”

The Town of Fraser is helping spread the word about the Kotrba’s tree disposal program with Brack noting the program itself is not being administered by the Town of Fraser, which is serving in a “strictly supportive role” with the Kotrbas. According to Brack the Kotrbas have accepted unsprayed Christmas trees for disposal in the past but this winter marks the first time effort has been taken to spread awareness of the program.

“This is the first year,” Brack said. “It is a trial program. She has opened up her place to the community for this effort.”

Brack stressed the absolute importance of ensuring that all trees taken to the Kotrba’s residence be free from any chemical sprays. Brack noted that one of the Kotrba’s goats is currently pregnant, heightening concerns about the potential for ingesting dangerous chemicals. Members of the Kotrba family did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

Outside of hauling used Christmas trees to the Kotrba’s residence in Fraser citizens can also dispose of Christmas trees through their normal trash disposal service. According to officials from Waste Management’s national call center Christmas trees that are disposed via normal trash pickup must be cut down, can be no longer than four feet in length and no more than 12 inches in diameter.

Trees can also be hauled to local transfer stations for disposal rather than waiting for a regularly scheduled pickup. The Granby Transfer Station, managed by The Trash Company, accepts loads of trash and other materials at the transfer station at 723 Grand County Road 612 on Granby’s far western edge Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on the first Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Trash Companies website lists “unacceptable materials” including electronics, household chemicals and petroleum products but does not restrict acceptance of natural Christmas trees.


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