Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..
Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
Updated: April 9, 2026 @ 10:50 pm
As Christmas 2000 becomes a memory and parched pine needles begin fall to living room floors, the number of discarded trees hugging the curbside will continue to grow in San Mateo until BFI collects the discarded fauna and hauls them to Ox Hill Landfill where they'll be transformed into wood chips.
Many San Mateo residents walking the street the day after Christmas were pleased to learn the fate of discarded trees, but wondered -- why use a tree at all?
"I was in Half Moon Bay, and I saw people at the tree-seller's lot stomping on the leftover trees," said Peggy Dimas, a Fremont resident shopping in downtown San Mateo. "I have an artificial tree for two reasons: I think it's a waste to cut one down, and my husband is allergic. You can buy pre-lit trees you don't have to water and the needles don't fall to the floor." Dimas originally believed trees were disposed of in a mass burning, but was pleased to learn of how San Mateo disposes of them.
San Mateo residents can take their tree out to the street on their recycling day. The trees will be hauled off to Ox Hill Landfill with other green-waste by BFI.
"They're mulched up in a mulcher, tumbler, tub or grinder. Sometimes they're put on a conveyor belt before they're shredded," said BFI Operations Manager Gino Gasparini.
For a tree to make it into the mulch pile they must be free of tinsel, lights, ornaments and metal stands. Gasparini says wooden stands are able to run through the chipper, but he stressed that if a tree has been flocked -- the fake white paint that makes the Christmas tree look like it's been decorated with snow -- it should not be recycled because of the chemicals contained in flocking paint.
Christmas tree chips are available to the public for free. They can be spread on gardens to prevent weeds from growing, retain moisture during dry summer months, and further extend the functionality of the thousands of used trees.
The chips which are not picked up by the public are spread atop portions of Ox Hill's 2,178 acres where they can prevent erosion and add nutrients to the soil which help break down rubbish.
"Throwing away a Christmas tree is no different than throwing away wrappings -- I'm sorry to say," said John Kelsch, a 56-year-old mortgage broker in San Mateo.
Kelsch said that he does not purchase Christmas trees or celebrate Christmas because he believes every day is a celebration, and it is unlikely that Christmas trees represent the Christmas spirit unless they're embraced by the family with prayer.
"Life is about living, appreciation of freedom, mobility and good health," he added.
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CA Is Burning said:
Makes sense, 500 union jobs, millions in donations from unions to democrats.
CA Is Burning said:
Providing Feedback said:
Rick Bonilla said:
Rick Bonilla said:
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