Burn the Christmas tree or compost it? Renting is more sustainable
Published: Sunday, Dec 22nd 2024, 13:00
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A lot of wood comes together at Christmas: After all, over a million trees are usually sold in Switzerland every year before the festive season. The majority come from abroad. But what to do with the Christmas tree after the holidays? Some disposal tips:
DOES THE CHRISTMAS TREE HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY DECORATED?
In any case. The tree must be thoroughly cleared of baubles and decorations. Although most people now do not use tinsel containing lead, if they do, it must be disposed of as hazardous waste. If the tinsel ends up in composting or incineration plants with the Christmas trees, the toxic lead is dispersed into the environment.
WHERE CAN I DISPOSE OF MY TREE?
The easiest way is to have the tree and green waste collected by the local waste disposal company. In many towns and municipalities, Christmas trees are disposed of in special collection campaigns after Christmas and New Year's Eve and into January.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TREES?
In most cases, the disused spruce, pine and fir trees are shredded and then turned into compost. Or they are shredded into wood chips, burned in combined heat and power plants and used to generate energy.
It is also possible to compost them in your own garden: shredded and rotted, the trees make good compost. The branches can also be used to cover beds in the garden to protect them from the cold. At least large zoos usually no longer accept Christmas trees from private individuals; some zoos feed the unsold, untreated trees from traders.
CAN CHRISTMAS TREES BE BURNED?
Strictly speaking, Christmas trees must be disposed of as plant waste. The tree can also be burned in your own stove, but the wood should be dry enough and stored for an appropriate length of time beforehand. Christmas trees must not be disposed of in the forest or by the roadside, as they take a long time to decompose. Anyone who does this anyway is committing an offense and must expect a fine.
ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE FESTIVAL?
It is more environmentally friendly to give the tree a longer life. Trees in pots, for example, can be planted out in spring. When buying, make sure that the roots are intact. Only then will the tree have a chance to grow after its Christmas use in the garden.
Most Christmas trees in pots are only cut out, i.e. the roots are severed. Blue spruce trees grow best. Basically, the smaller the tree, the fewer roots are damaged - and the greater the chance of growth.
Care should also be taken when watering the bale indoors, as overwatering quickly leads to a lack of oxygen and the roots die. Another alternative is to rent a tree for the festival. This is more expensive, but more sustainable. There are several providers on the Internet.
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