Oakland Recycles - Your Recycling Team
Recycling Cart and Bin

Holiday Recycling

Go green this holiday season and ensure you are putting your materials in the right container.

Holiday Specific Services & Information

Holidays That Impact Service

When Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day fall on a weekday, pickup will be one day later for the rest of the that week. Service will be provided on your normal collection day every other day of the year.

2023-2024 Holiday Tree Recycling Schedule: December 26, 2023 – January 12, 2024

Convenient and free pickup of holiday trees takes place on your regularly scheduled Compost service day, from the first work day after December 25th through the end of the second work week in January. All residences in Oakland, including apartments and condos receive this service. After January 13, cut trees to fit in your compost cart for regular weekly collection. Thank you for removing all stands and decorations. Your clean Holiday tree will be composted and returned to the soil as an amendment.

holiday tree

Free Holiday Tree Pickup (Single Family Homes)

  • No stands
  • No decorations
  • No “snow” flocking (flocked trees cannot be composted; they go to the landfill)

After January 13, cut trees to fit in your compost cart for regular weekly collection. Thank you for removing all stands and decorations. Your clean Holiday tree will be composted and returned to the soil as an amendment.

Please note that a separate collection vehicle may pick up the trees.

holiday tree

Free Holiday Tree Pickup (Apartment & Condos)

WM offers two options for assisting residents to properly recycle their holiday tree.  Tree Recycling Instruction for Property Mangers (PDF)

  1. Curbside: All multi-family dwelling residents of 5-99 units have the option of setting trees curbside.
  2. Roll-Off Box: Property managers of 100 plus units may order a roll-off box at no extra charge to collect trees.

To order a roll off box, please contact Customer Service at csnorthbay@wm.com or call (510) 613-8700. Please call to make an appointment at least two weeks in advance of desired drop-off date.

Property managers are responsible in communicating to residents which of the two options of tree recycling will occur. This includes telling residents the specifics as to the location of either curbside or the roll-off box location.

Please choose and download the appropriate leaflet/sign (fillable PDF) to print for your residents.

Holiday Recycle Right Guide

Know your bins and recycle right! Remove wires and ribbons from wreaths and flower arrangements before composting. Metallic or glitter gift wrap, bags and boxes should be put in the trash when they can no longer be reused.

  • Milk and egg nog cartons
  • Clean aluminum trays, pie tins, and foil
  • Metal food and beverage cans
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Paper tissue paper
  • Paper gift bags
  • Cardboard gift boxes
  • Metal bottle caps
  • Plastic bottles and tubs
  • Greeting cards, envelopes
holiday recycle
  • Flowers, plants and other yard debris
  • Holiday wreath (metal removed)
  • Food-soiled paper such as coffee filters, napkins, paper towels
  • All Food scraps such as fruits and vegetables, dairy, bones, grains and nuts, shells
  • Wine and champagne corks
holiday compost
  • Plastic solo cups and plastic utensils
  • Broken dishware and glasses
  • Candles
  • Artificial wreathe
  • Bows and ribbons
  • Plastic bags and wrappers
holiday trash

Try and reuse these items before placing them in your curbside carts:

  • Aluminum trays and pie tins
  • Cardboard gift boxes
  • Paper gift bags
  • Bows and ribbons
  • Tissue paper
  • Packaging material
  • Glass jars make great food gift containers
holiday reuse