LINCOLN PARK — Local residents can recycle their Christmas trees if not their newspapers, bottles and cans at Fullerton Avenue and Cannon Drive.
The city's annual tree recycling program began Tuesday and runs through Jan. 21. Administered by the Department of Streets and Sanitation and the Chicago Park District, it has set the corner of Fullerton and Cannon as the designated location for Lincoln Park. Just look for the trees to be stacked in the parking lot east of Cannon.
Although the recycling is set for 24 Park District locations citywide, Lincoln Park is one of only six where you can turn in your tree and get mulch from recycled trees in exchange.
Streets & San Commissioner Charles Williams called the program "a worthy act by residents as each recycled tree benefits our environment." Williams pointed out it "helps divert waste from landfills and provides residents with reusable mulch."
"We encourage people to bring their holiday trees to designated park sites throughout the city and in return receive free mulch when available at select locations,” said Park District Supt. Mike Kelly. "We value this environmentally beneficial partnership that encourages the public to become stewards of the environment."
Trees can be recycled at that corner, even if bottles, cans, newspapers and other recyclables cannot. With a new citywide recycling ordinance in effect for homes, condominiums and apartment buildings, Streets & San is discontinuing drop-off sites, including one already removed from the Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Drive.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
