Tossing The Tannenbaum? Tampa Launches Free Curbside Christmas Tree Pickup This Week

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Tossing The Tannenbaum? Tampa Launches Free Curbside Christmas Tree Pickup This Week

Christmas Tree (Unsplash)
Christmas Tree (Unsplash)

TAMPA, Fla. – With the holiday season wrapping up, the City of Tampa is making post-celebration cleanup a little easier for residents. Starting Friday, January 2, 2026, the Solid Waste Department will begin its annual curbside Christmas tree collection service at no extra cost.

For those ready to haul their tree to the curb, officials have outlined a few requirements to ensure pickup goes smoothly.

Before placing a tree out for collection, residents must strip off all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and other decorations. The department also requires that larger trees be cut into four-foot sections and bundled together. Once prepped, the bundles should be placed curbside on the household’s regularly scheduled yard waste collection day.

READ: Bundle Up, Tampa Bay: Frosty Start To 2026 Gives Way To Weekend Showers

City officials noted that discarded lights and decorations are not recyclable. These items should be tossed directly into the standard garbage cart rather than the recycling bin or yard waste pile.

Residents with questions about the schedule or requirements can reach the City of Tampa Utilities Call Center at (813) 274-8811 or find more details online at www.tampagov.net/solidwaste.

Important Note for New Tampa: Residents living in the New Tampa area fall under a different service jurisdiction. They are encouraged to contact Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management at (813) 272-5680 to confirm their specific holiday collection schedule.

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