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By SCOTT MIMS / Staff Writer

Shelby County, in partnership with local municipalities, will again offer its Christmas Tree Recycling Program this season with five designated drop-off locations spread throughout the county.

The program will begin Monday, Dec. 28 and continue through Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. Drop-off areas will be available at the following locations:

• Heardmont Park off Cahaba Valley Road / Alabama 119
• Ray Building off Alabama 70 in Columbiana
• In front of Chelsea City Hall off Shelby County 47
• Pelham City Park off U.S. 31
• Alabaster Promenade, at the lower east end of the Amstar Theatre parking lot

Also, each drop-off location will have orange traffic cones and signage to indicate where the trees should be placed.

“There are multiple uses (for recycled Christmas trees),” said Shelby County Environmental Manager Brandon Hamilton. “Some are used for fish habitats in lakes, and some are chipped and used as an erosion control product.”

Hamilton also noted that people should definitely not try to recycle artificial Christmas trees, as only natural trees are accepted. Despite this fact, he said, people tend to leave artificial ones every year.