Residents break recycling record

Just some of the real Christmas trees local residents sent for recycling

Rochdale borough residents have this year smashed the Council’s Christmas tree recycling record by 50 per cent from last year – which was also a record breaking year for Christmas tree recycling in the borough.

This year’s new record saw 6,000 (around 21 tonnes) real Christmas trees saved from landfill and instead chipped down and used for things like mulch in the borough’s parks and countryside. In 2010 local residents helped the Council set a new record by recycling 4,000 (around 14.5 tonnes) real Christmas trees.

Both records follow two consecutive years of adverse winter weather conditions – meaning the achievement is testament to local people’s determination to do something positive for their local area after they’ve finished with their real Christmas trees.

Councillor Terry Linden, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Following two extremely harsh winters I’m very proud to be able to say we’ve broken our Christmas tree recycling record for two years on the run. This is a tremendous result and I want to thank local people for their willingness to recycle and help us continue to make a difference in our parks and countryside.”

Between 3 and 17 January this year the council opened 26 Christmas tree collection points across the borough where local people could drop off their real Christmas trees for recycling.