Ready To Toss Those Trees, Pittsfield? What You Need To Know

Are you just about holidayed out? Or, are you well over it already? Thanks to the City of Pittsfield and the Mayor's Office, we've got a handy-dandy schedule to pass along to you regarding Christmas tree removal and pickup.

First and foremost, please note that Christmas tree pickup in the month of January will accompany the regular trash pickup schedule. Before you bring your live tree to the curb for pickup, please remove all ornaments, lights, and tinsel from it.

Also, if you had a live tree, don't wait for it to dry out before removing it. As trees dry out, they become more likely to be fire hazards. Use a large, plastic tree bag or if you don't have one, an old blanket will work fine, to wrap around the tree. This will protect your luxurious carpet or wood floors from tree sap and pine needles as you're dragging the tree out.

Here's a breakdown of the Christmas tree pickup schedule:

• The week of Jan. 3, Casella will pick up trees on Monday and Friday routes.
• The following week of Jan. 10, they will pick up along the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday routes.
• During the week of Jan. 17, Casella will resume tree collection with Monday and Friday routes.
• Lastly, the week of Jan. 24, they will pick up trees according to the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday routes.

For more information, please call 499-9330. Lastly, just a word of caution: You may think it's a good idea to burn your tree in your fireplace or woodstove. IT'S NOT! A dry tree can burn very quickly producing sparks that can fly into the room setting carpets, rugs, even furniture on fire.

Also, sap from fresh trees could create a fire hazard in your chimney or stove piping. Best to play it safe and bring it out with your trash on your appropriate pickup day.