Christmas Tree Safety...and When/Where You Can Recycle Your Tree

Posted by on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015 at 4:24pm.

Don't you just love that wintry scent of pine or fir filling every corner of your living room? 

The aroma of your tannenbaum is one of the trademark characteristics of Christmas.

Sadly, though, Christmas trees have also been the source of heartbreak over the years: home-destroying fires, in some cases, have been caused by heat, trees and bad luck.The American Christmas Tree Association (yes, there is such a thing) estimates that yuletide trees cost $13 million annually in property damage.

So, in an effort to keep you safe, happy and Christmasy as your tree dries out, we've created a list of three different safety tips based on information we found from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA).

We've also included a bonus section about where you can drop off your tree for recycling!

 Keep the Heat Away From The Tree

With trees staying up in most homes until after the new year, it's important to keep yourself aware of where your home's heat sources are in relation to your tree. Granted, most homeowners don't put their evergreen next to their fireplace or their plug-in heater. 

But, you need to remember that as the holidays wear on and, especially on Christmas Day, you get worn out, you're more likely to forget to turn off heaters and lights.

The USFA recommends you keep your tree at least 3 feet away from a heat source. 

Try Going Candle Free 

This one's tough because, in many homes, Christmas is synonymous with the soft, winsome glow of candles. However, statistics show that candles are the cause of two out of every five home decoration fires.

In fact, the top three days for home candle fires are Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. So, if you have any doubts, we recommend finding a nice set of battery-operated candles. They aren't as amazing as the real deal, but they'll keep you safe. 

Say Goodbye After Four Weeks

Even well-watered trees become dangerous after four weeks, the ACTA says. Now, we know this probably goes against your instincts, especially if you put up your tree on Black Friday. However, in this case it really is better to be safe than sorry. 

If you can't stomach the 4-week deadline, then be extra vigilant from now until you decide to take down your tree. At this point in the season, your evergreen is drying out and is more vulnerable to candles and heat sources. 

Recycle It, Don't Burn It

Omaha Recycles is doing their yearly duty of collecting Christmas trees for recycling. As they do every year, they remind residents to remove all nails, stands, bags, ornaments, lights and wires from the tree before dropping it off. Flocked trees are okay for dropoff, but wreaths and evergreen roping won't be accepted. 

Omaha Recycling has drop-off points at twelve spots around the city, as indicated in the map above. All but one location (Hughes Mulch Products, L on the map) will be open daylight hours from Dec. 26 to Jan. 7. Check out their Christmas tree recycling program page to learn more

OR is also running a recycling opportunity for lights. Click here for more info.

 

 

Leave a Comment

Format example: you@domain.com
Format example: yourwebsitename.com