Christmas Tree Recycling Made Circular: Composting with Recorra

Why Your Chrismas Tree Matters

Each year an estimated 8 million real Christmas Trees are purchased in the UK. The majority of these trees enter general waste where they are incinerated. While incineration is a better outcome than other general waste disposal methods, it still presents an emissions issue.

In this blog, we explore different Christmas tree options and explain how what you do with your tree may be more important as the tree itself.

Artificial Trees

If choosing artificial, your material choice matters.

Plastic trees are practically impossible to recycle. To be a sustainable option, they should be an investment and need to be used anywhere from 7 to 20 years. On average, an artificial Christmas tree’s carbon footprint will be around 40kg of CO2 – the same as driving from London to Edinburgh, that’s up to 530km!

Christmas trees made from materials alternative to plastics are an excellent option. For example, Recorra invested in a ‘fake’ wooden tree last year that is not only reusable, but also 100% recyclable!

For an already 100% recycled Christmas tree option, Recorra’s Stormboard Christmas trees provide a festive display with a circular spin. They’re tough and weatherproof and can be used time and time again. These take a long time to make so you’ll need to get in early. If you missed out this year, make sure to get in touch nice and early in August of next year to order you Stormboard Christmas tree.

Real Trees

Real trees are 100% recyclable, and opting to compost your tree not only reduces waste but also recaptures carbon into the earth. Make sure to purchase your Christmas tree from a local grower to avoid high associated travel emissions and to support local businesses.

On average, real Christmas trees come with a carbon footprint of 3.5 kg of CO2. However, if not recycled, this number quadruples to 16 kg (equivalent to driving between 170-215 km).

In the time of year where we’re all guilty of a little over-consumption, Christmas tree recycling with Recorra is one of the best ways to make your Christmas a little more sustainable. Recorra make it simple through our pre-paid collection service.

Recorra’s pre-paid Christmas tree sack collections 

Prevent messy leaf shedding and accommodate trees up to 8ft tall with Recorra’s Christmas Tree Recycling service. We make it simple and hassle-free to dispose of your tree in the most environmentally friendly way. Just follow these easy steps: 

1. Contact our local helpdesk and ask for our Christmas Tree sack, this will be delivered to your door, and you can enjoy your tree throughout the holidays. 
2. Pack up the decs and secure your tree in placed our dedicated sack, when the festivities are over, un-bauble your tree (saving the decorations for next year!) and secure it in the sack ready for collection. 
3. Organise your collection, simply call or email our helpdesk and we’ll organise a collection at a time that suits you. 
4. Recorra will come and collect and that is it! 

Remove some of the stress of the January blues by organising your Christmas Tree recycling collection today.  

What happens to your tree after that? 

Recorra are proud to recycle 98% of all our materials here in the UK. Your tree will join thousands of our other customers trees and be composted along with vegware. Through our partners enVar, your tree will be sent to an IVC (In-vessel Composting) in Cambridgeshire to create nutrient rich compost, meaning nothing will go to waste.  

Championing the circular economy, this compost will then be available to purchase for your business’s green spaces. You can order Recorra’s compost through our office supplies!