By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–Christmas is approaching fast, which means lots of gift buying resulting in excess trash and large oversized boxes.

The city of Helena and Republic Services will be providing residents with a free solution to dispose of excess trash this holiday season with a designated area for disposal of large boxes, excess Christmas packaging or related Christmas disposable items that will not fit in residents’ regular curb side trash cans.

From Dec. 13 through Jan. 3, 2017, Helena residents may bring their Christmas trash to the Helena Sports Complex located at 110 Sports Complex Drive.

“We partnered with Republic Services this year to have a couple of large roll off dumpsters at the Sports Complex during the Christmas season to dispose of large boxes or large Christmas items,” Helena Mayor Mark Hall said at the Dec. 12 council meeting. “All of our residents will have a little extra place to bring things that won’t fit in your normal trash pickup. We’re just offering this as an extra service to our citizens this year to help you out.”

In addition to trash disposal, there will also be a designated area for disposal of live Christmas trees at the same location.

The city emphasized that Christmas related trash and large boxes would only be accepted through Jan. 3, and other junk and large trash items including old furniture, grills, or appliances will not be accepted. These items will be accepted during the Spring Clean Out in 2017.