Mayor urges Londoners to recycle the capital's forest of Christmas trees

As the 20 metre Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is chipped, shredded and taken away to be composted, the Mayor is urging Londoners to recycle their Christmas trees.

In London, an estimated 35 tonnes of Christmas trees are simply thrown out after the tinsel and baubles are packed away. The Mayor, Boris Johnson, today (5 January 2010) called on Londoners to recycle their discarded conifers instead as the 20 metre tree in Trafalgar Square was chipped, shredded and taken away to be composted.

On Twelfth Night, when Christmas trees and decorations are traditionally taken down, the massive tree on Trafalgar Square was put through an industrial chipping machine, where it will go on to be turned into a rich fertilising mulch for soil. Londoners can do the same by using their borough recycling schemes to recycle and compost their trees. Alternatively, potted trees can be planted in the garden or donated to someone who has space to replant them.

All 33 London boroughs are now offering tree recycling services. 27 boroughs are offering a collection from home service for Christmas trees and 26 are opening special drop off points for a specific period to collect Christmas trees for recycling. Reuse and recycling centres across the capital will also be accepting Christmas trees for recycling. Last year the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames alone collected around 20,000 Christmas trees for recycling. For further details on the local services being offered, visit the Recycle for London website at: www.recycleforlondon.com.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and Chair of the London Waste and Recycling Board, said:

'The Trafalgar Square tree is the mother of all Christmas trees, so it is right that we take the lead in disposing of it in an eco-friendly way. I call on Londoners to bestow a last act of kindness to the forest of trees that have given so much pleasure in our sitting rooms, and ensure they are recycled to have a more fruitful future than being cruelly tossed away.'

Over the Christmas period in the capital, people also sent an estimated 124 million cards and used around 30 per cent extra glass jars and bottles. Londoners are being encouraged to start 2010 on a green footing and recycle this extra festive rubbish rather than throwing it in the bin where it is destined to be incinerated or buried in landfill, contributing to climate change.

Notes to Editors

Media enquiries: Press information including pictures of the Trafalgar Square tree being taken down and composted is available from Hilary Merrett and Nicola Dillon on 020 7983 4755/4066 or by emailing environmentdesk@london.gov.uk.

General public/Non-media enquiries: Call the Public Liaison Unit at the Greater London Authority on 020 7983 4100.

Duty Press Officer: For out-of-hours media enquiries, please call 020 7983 4000.