NEW ROCHELLE, NY (January 4, 2026) — Municipalities across the coverage area are reminding residents of the rules for Christmas tree removal as the holiday season wraps up.
Christmas trees must be stripped of tinsel and ornaments and must be placed at the curb by February 6. Plastic bags are not permitted.
A reminder was also issued that wrapping paper goes in the trash, not in paper recycling. Wreaths go in the trash, not with tree pickup.
Sound Shore Christmas tree pickup periods, based on the most current available official guidelines. Tree pick up programs typically follow recurring annual patterns, with trees required to be stripped of decorations, lights, ornaments, tinsel, stands, and placed curbside without plastic bags.
- New Rochelle, NY: Christmas trees can be placed curbside until February 6, 2026 (normal collection resumes the week of January 6; pickup handled by DPW throughout January and into early February per the 2025/2026 DPW schedule).
- Mamaroneck (Village of Mamaroneck): Curbside collection through the end of January (Department of Public Works deploys personnel for pickup; trees must be placed at the curb, not in the street).
- Mamaroneck (Town of Mamaroneck, unincorporated areas): Curbside pickup available from the last week in December until mid-January (handled via the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Joint Sanitation Commission).
- Larchmont, NY: Curbside collection from December through February (no need to call DPW; place trees curbside after the holidays; managed by the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Joint Sanitation Commission).
- Pelham (Village/Town of Pelham, including Pelham Manor): No specific 2026 deadline publicly detailed in recent sources; typically follows standard Westchester practices with curbside pickup as yard waste/bulk in early-to-mid January (residents should check pelhamny.gov or contact DPW for exact current-year schedule).
- Rye (City of Rye): Christmas trees collected as organic yard waste on regular scheduled pickup days (no explicit 2026 hard deadline found; generally into mid-to-late January; trees must be free of ornamentation and not in plastic bags; check ryeny.gov or DPW for schedule).
- Port Chester, NY: Trees collected by regular or special collection during the month of January each year (place at curb area; some past years extended into early February with DPW pickup from early January onward; confirm via portchesterny.gov or DPW at 914-939-5207).
- Rye Brook, NY: No dedicated special 2026 Christmas tree program or deadline prominently listed; handled as part of regular yard waste/organic waste collection on scheduled days (typically into mid-to-late January; trees must be bare and unbagged; check ryebrook.org or contact Public Works for the annual calendar).
For the most accurate and up-to-date confirmation (especially as weather or staffing may affect schedules), residents should visit each municipality’s official website, download the sanitation/collection calendar, or contact the local Department of Public Works directly. Many of these trees are recycled into mulch for parks and sustainability efforts.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.