For many people, the holidays aren’t complete without a fresh-cut Christmas tree. These holiday trees bring the outdoors into the rental home, filling it with its spectacular beauty and aroma. And when the family decorates it with lights and ornaments, it becomes the stuff holiday memories are made of. However, when the holidays are over, it becomes a bit of a hassle. A lot of Hawthorne tenants would have to face the question of how to properly dispose of their tree. Dry pine needles are a fire hazard, so once you’ve taken down the decorations and ornaments, you have to remove your Christmas tree from the property as soon as you can. The complication here is that most dumpsters and general trash pick-ups won’t accept Christmas trees, so disposing of it may not be as easy as simply tossing it out. In what follows, we’ll explore a few safe and legal ways renters can properly dispose of their Christmas trees.
The first thing you should do when dispose of a Christmas tree is to check your city’s website or that of your local waste removal company. These days, with the internet being ubiquitous, virtually all cities and towns have their own websites that have helpful information for residents. Now, when the holiday season arrives, they usually update it with information about specific, city-run programs designed for Christmas tree removal. Local waste removal companies do the same thing. The sites may list the local drop-off locations or they may provide curbside pickup or even shred your tree for mulch. It differs from place to place.
If your town has a list of drop-off locations, this can very well be one of the easiest ways to get rid of your Christmas tree. To find the location that’s easiest for you, just do a quick internet search. After you’ve decided on a location, the next step is to take your tree there. If you’re thinking of doing this yourself, use a tree bag to protect your walls and floors from scratches and to keep dead pine needles from making a mess.
In some areas, you can arrange to have the local yard waste removal company come and pick up your tree, or even have it turned into mulch right outside your home. To use these services, you may have to make a special request on or before a specific date, and some may cost you a little extra on your trash removal bill that month. If either of these solutions is available in your area, don’t forget to find out all you can about them, including any related fees, before scheduling the service.
If you choose not to use the services offered by the city or by the local waste removal company, or if they don’t have those services offered, it’s not a huge problem. There are many other ways to dispose of a Christmas tree. One option is to hire someone to chop your tree up into firewood. There are several organizations that accept donated Christmas trees for use in environmental recovery projects. This is a good option since many of these projects use donated trees to help reduce beach erosion or create habitats for wildlife.
One alternative that you should never consider is to burn your Christmas tree on the property. It’s only a proper option if you have a wood-burning fireplace and if your tree has been cut into firewood. Otherwise, it’s very dangerous to light a dry pine tree on fire. It may cause injury to yourself or even damage or destroy your Hawthorne rental property – and all your personal belongings with it.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns us that it takes less than 60 seconds for a Christmas tree fire to set an entire house ablaze. Even if you do manage to successfully burn your tree without taking down the house, there’s a good chance that the flames damaged the yard or other parts of the property. This could result in you having to, at a minimum, deal with fines or the loss of your security deposit.
The proper disposal of your Christmas tree is a serious thing. It is a responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly. By gathering the right information, you can select the best option— one that does the job and also keeps you and your rental home safe.
At Real Property Management California Coast, we understand that your life is busy and you have a lot of important commitments with both your professional and personal life, so staying on top of everything is just not possible. Our team of Hawthorne property managers is ready to tackle that responsibility. We take care of all tenant communication, including educating them on important aspects like Christmas tree removal. Contact us or call us at 310-535-2150 today.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
