By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

Shelby County residents will have the option of recycling their Christmas trees at five locations across the county.

The county, in conjunction with the city of Chelsea, the city of Pelham and Propst Alabaster LLC, is offering a Christmas tree recycling program from Dec. 26-Jan. 4.

The five countywide locations include Heardmont Park on U.S. 119, Chelsea City Hall, Ray Building off Alabama 70 in Columbiana, Pelham City Park, which is located off U.S. 31 in Pelham, and Propst Alabaster LLC — the former Colonial Properties Alabaster — which is located at the end of the AmStar Theater parking lot in Alabaster.

According to Shelby County Environmental Manager Chad Scroggins, each location will have an area sectioned off for Christmas trees, and residents can leave their trees at any time. County employees will pick up the trees during the day.

The county has held the tree recycling for four years, with “pretty good results.”

“We get a fair response. It gives people a way to dispose of their trees,” Scroggins said.

The county recycled about 950 trees last year.

“Some people just throw them out in the woods or take them to the landfill,” Scroggins said. “I don’t know what they were doing beforehand.”

The county recycles the trees into landscape and erosion-sediment control materials for county facilities, such as the landfill.