Holiday Trash and Recycling

Disposing of your holiday tree, what to do with extra trash, and tips for sorting common holiday waste.

How to dispose of live (real) Trees 

Post-holiday trees should never be discarded on the curb or thrown out into wild or wooded areas. Please remove all adornments and dispose of your holiday trees responsibly!

Drop Off:

• Grimm's Fuel Company for a $5.00 disposal fee (18850 SW Cipole Rd, Tualatin, OR 97062)
• S&H Landscaping for a $6.00 disposal fee (20200 SW Stafford Rd, Tualatin, OR 97062)
• Tualatin Elks Lodge (8350 SW Warm Springs St, Tualatin, OR 97062) 
  • December 28th 2024 & January 4, 2025 from 9am-12pm. Service courtesy of Tualatin Boy Scout Troop 530.
  • Suggested donation is $20 for trees. No flocked trees.
  • Click HERE to sign up (tualatinscouting.org) and for information.

Curbside:

• Tualatin Boy Scout Troop 530 will be collecting curbside from Tualatin neighborhoods that have registered for pickup. 
  • Suggested donation is $20 for trees. No flocked trees.
  • Click HERE to sign up (tualatinscouting.org) and for information.
• Republic Services will collect trees 6ft tall or less:
  • Trees can be cut up into 3ft sections and placed in the yard debris bin.
  • Trees can be placed curbside next to the yard debris bin for an additional charge of $11.63. These pickups must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance of your normal garbage collection day. Please call 503-981-1278 to schedule. 

What to do with extra garbage

Curbside:

• For Republic Services customers with a standard 35-gallon garbage bin, extra garbage bags can be tied neatly and placed next to (but not touching) the curbside bin. Extra garbage will be assessed an additional charge of $6.40 per bag.

Drop Off: 

• Extra Garbage
  • Metro South Transfer Station (2001 Washington St., Oregon City) daily from 7am-7pm.  Charges apply.
• Bulky or Hazardous Waste
  • Waste that will not fit or cannot go into a curbside bin or extra bag - more information here. 
  • Consider donating bulky waste that is in good condition (ex: furniture). Call 503-234-3000 to find out donation organizations, drop-off locations, and pick-up options.
• Extra recycling can be dropped off at:
  • Republic Services (10295 SW Ridder Rd., Wilsonville) Monday -Friday 7:30am-5pm.  Free.
  • Metro South Transfer Station (2001 Washington St., Oregon City) daily from 7am-7pm.  More info here, many recycling items are accepted for free. 

WHAT TO RECYCLE AND WHAT TO THROW OUT (or Reuse)

• Garbage/Reuse
  • Envelopes with plastic padding (even if the outside is paper).
  • Some wrapping paper:
    • Wrapping paper cannot be recycled if it contains sparkles, glitter, sequins, foil, artificial texture, sticky gift labels, or plastic. Nor can it be recycled if it has been laminated or has loads of leftover tape, ribbons, or bows still attached. 
  • Bubble wrap, plastic “air pillows,” and packing peanuts.
  • Plastic gift cards and any plastic not shaped like a bottle or round tub.
  • Cards if they are glittery, metallic, on photo paper, or have sticky labels.
  • String lights, ribbon, yarn, and cords – these are called “tanglers” because they get tangled in the machines that sort recyclables and cause the whole process to shut down.
    • *String lights can be dropped off at Pride Recycling (13980 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Rd, Sherwood, OR 97140). Standard sized or mini lights, can be dropped of as is. If bulbs are bigger than the standard size, bulbs will need to be removed and throw out, then the string component can be dropped off at Pride. 
• Recycling
  • Paper gift wrap
    • Simple wrapping paper can be recycled in your home bin. To confirm that wrapping paper is recyclable, you can do a "scrunch test" by squeezing it into a ball. If it keeps the ball generally keeps the shape, then it can be recycled. If it springs back to a more flat or spread out form, then it cannot. 
  • Plan tissue paper, plain paper gift bags, and plain cards.
  • Cardboard boxes (ok to leave tape and labels on).
• Yard Debris
  • Real/live holiday trees, wreaths, and greenery... AS LONG AS all decorations, wire, etc., have been removed first. (Fake or “flocked” trees or greenery should go in the garbage.)