MILWAUKEE — Many may have just put their Christmas Tree up, but they’ll already want to start thinking about what they’re going to do when they take it down. The City of Milwaukee is holding a special meeting Monday, Dec. 11 to discuss a new Department of Public Works policy.
DPW Crews will no longer collect cut Christmas trees along the collection routes, according to DPW.
The Common Council was sent a memo that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sent to DPW, saying DNR “recently revisited its longstanding interpretation that previously deemed Christmas trees as a household decoration. Instead, the DNR has clarified that it now considers holiday trees to be yard waste and thus subject to the State’s yard waste landfill ban.”
Milwaukee residents will now be required to drop off cut Christmas trees at the City’s drop off centers, “or make other arrangements.”
“This (change) is going to be creating a huge problem for the City, as streets, alleys and vacant lots will be littered with thousands of discarded trees for months,” Bauman said in a statement.
Bauman estimates there could be 75,000 to 100,000 Christmas trees this season in the City of Milwaukee that will need to be disposed of.
"The city is going to be awash with Christmas trees," Bauman said. "This is horrible."
DPW released a statement, acknowledging that residents were encouraged to take their trees to Drop Off Centers in the past, but always had the option to dispose of trees curbside.
DPW points out, if you have a fake tree, you can still dispose of it curbside.
"Artificial trees will still be collected curbside at the garbage collection point," the statement said.
"I would have to imagine people will be upset with it," Casey Dembowiak, Co-Owner of Kellner Greenhouse said.
Dembowiak says Christmas trees are flying off his lot. He takes great pride in knowing these trees will be focal points for so many families across the area.
It's why he's already feeling sympathetic for his customers, who will have to figure out how to get rid of these trees in a few weeks.
"I think it affects the way people view their city," Dembowiak said. "Most people probably don't know it. When they go to dispose of that tree and it sits on the curb for three or four weeks, then we get the snow and they don't salt the streets and don't plow and don't pick up the trees. I think there will be a lot of aggravated, agitated people."
Through the thick of trees in the Kellner lot, a dog in a red hooded sweatshirt darts back and forth, sniffing tree to tree. Annie is as excited as her parents to find the perfect tree.
"The past few years, we've come here," Kelly Martin said.
Kelly and Roberto are kicking off the Christmas season by finding the perfect tree. After finding the perfect one, they call over for the attendant for help and ask for a fresh cut so the tree will get some water when it's up in their home.
"It's very important," Martin said. "The aromatherapy is what matters to me."
The scent of pine needles is crucial to celebrating Christmas for them. In the next few weeks, it will slowly turn from malleable to brittle, green to brown. Just as the year ends, so will the lifespan of this year's tree. But this household gets two uses out of the tree.
"We burn ours after a few months," Roberto Sandoval said. "It gets dried and we get to burn a pine tree in our backyard."
While the new rules won't impact their plans, Sandoval does acknowledge what this could mean for trees put on curbs in his neighborhood.
"That's probably concerning," He said.
But he sees an opportunity.
"I'll pick it up!"
There will be additional temporary locations for residents to drop off cut Christmas trees, in addition to the two Drop Off Center locations. The temporary sites will be open from January 11 to January 15, 2024. All decorations must be removed from trees before they will be accepted.
The two Drop Off Centers are open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. They are located at:
- South: 3879 W Lincoln Avenue
- North: 6660 N Industrial Road (must enter Industrial Road from Mill Road)
The temporary locations are yet to be determined by DPW. Its website says the locations will be announced this month.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
