Christmas tree recycling

Why recycle Christmas trees?

If you have a real Christmas tree, the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of it is to compost it.

Where to recycle Christmas trees

If you can’t compost your tree yourself, we can help through our:

  • Christmas tree drop-off points
  • Christmas tree home collections

​Christmas tree drop-offpoints

The best way to recycle your real tree for free, is at one of our drop-off points. This helps keep our pavements and streets clear. You can use the drop off points below, between Tuesday 2 January and Sunday 21 January 2024.

North of the borough
  • Emslie Horniman Park (Kensal Road side) W10
  • Sainsbury's, Canal Way (Off Ladbroke Grove) W10
  • Little Wormwood Scrubs (Opposite Brewster Gardens) W10
  • Kensington Memorial Park (St Helen’s Gardens entrance) W10
  • All Saints Church (At the top of Colville Gardens) W11
  • Cornwall Crescent (Junction with Clarendon Road) W11
  • Tavistock Road (Junction with Basing Street) W11 
  • Pembridge Square (Entering from Pembridge Villas) W2
  • Kensington Park Road (Junction with Convent Gardens) W11
  • Bramley Road (Junction with Whitchurch Road) W11
  • Avondale Park (Walmer Road East entrance) W11
Central
  • Holland Park car park, Abbotsbury Road W14
  • Palace Gate (Junction with Kensington Gate – near the sculpture) W8
  • Campden Hill Road (Outside Kensington Town Hall, between Phillimore Walk and Upper Phillimore Gardens) W8
  • Lexham Gardens (Opposite Lexham Walk) W8
  • Redfield Lane (Start of pedestrian walkway leading to Cromwell Road) SW5
South of the borough
  • Ifield Road (Junction with Finborough Road) SW10
  • Onslow Gardens (Junction with Ensor Mews) SW7
  • Halsey Street (Junction with Cadogan Street) SW3
  • Cremorne Gardens, Lots Road SW10
  • Hans Place (Southern end) SW1
  • Royal Avenue (Junction with St. Leonard’s Terrace) SW3
  • The Boltons (South side of the church) SW10
  • Robinson Street (Pavement area, opposite the church) SW3
  • Dovehouse Green SW3
  • Westfield Park (Tetcott Road North entrance) SW10
  • Kempsford Gardens (Next to Warwick Road) SW5

Don't forget to remove any decorations and pots first.

Christmas tree kerbside collection

If you can't take your tree to a drop-off point, we can collect it on your rubbish and recycling collection day, between Tuesday 2 January and Friday 19 January 2024.

Before we collect it, make sure:

  • you know your rubbish and recycling collection days
  • you put it out before 7am on your rubbish and recycling collection day
  • it's clearly visible
  • it doesn't obstruct the pavement
  • you've removed all decorations and pots

Christmas tree recycling on estates, mansion blocks and flats

If you live on an estate, in a mansion block or in flats, and use communal bins and mixed recycling banks, you can take your real tree to the Christmas tree recycling points listed above.

Alternatively, your housing provider may also have a separate collection in place. You can check with your caretaker or property manager and make sure to ask if the trees will be composted, and won’t be thrown away as rubbish.


Useful tips

If your tree is in a pot, you can plant it out in the garden after Christmas, or (if you want to bring it indoors again next year) grow it in a larger container.

Can you compost at home? If your real tree is not in a pot, or you don't have the space to plant it in your garden, then make sure you compost it, which is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of it.

Last updated: 7 December 2023