City not recycling trees this year 12/28/2009 7:44 PM
By APRIL BAILEY Staff writer
Local residents seem to have begun dropping trees off at City recreation facilities; however, the City of Aiken is not recycling Christmas trees this year.
Several trees were spotted at Carolina Bay and at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center Monday afternoon. City Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Glenn Parker said the City decided not to recycle trees this year because the City no longer has a wood chipper, which has been used to chop the trees into wood chips in the past.
For several years, the City collected trees at locations such as the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, Citizens Park, Smith-Hazel Recreation Center and Perry Park. Last year, the program was canceled.
Parker said City residents can place their trees outside their homes where they can be picked up when City officials collect yard trash. County residents can drop their trees off at their nearest landfill.
Sgt. Aaron Dowdy of Aiken Public Safety said if City employees spot someone trying to drop their trees off at City facilities, they will be asked not to do so.
Dowdy said officers are not citing citizens for dropping trees off because it is being assumed that people are not aware that trees are not being collected this year.
Residents who would rather have a greener alternative to disposing of their trees than throwing them away can bring them to County recreation facilities.
John Dyches, acting director of Public Works for Aiken County, said the County will be accepting trees that are dropped off at any of the County's 10 drop-off locations. Dyches said the trees are typically picked up by fisherman who want them by their ponds.
County tree drop-off locations
* Belvedere - 537 Edgefield Road
* Langley - 458 Huber Clay Road
* New Ellenton - 2120 Williston Road
* Graniteville - 214 Bettis Academy Road
* Reynolds Pond - 1491 Reynolds Pond Road
* Windsor - 102 Cedar Road
* Perry - 270 Center St. E.
* Couchton - 240 New Holland Road
* New Holland - 121 Chalk Bed Road
* Monetta - 118 Trojan Road
City holiday trash pickup:
Depending on the day a holiday falls, the City's trash pickup schedule may be delayed by one day. If the holiday falls later in the week, only the days following the holiday are affected. There will be no change for pickup following New Year's Day.
Notice about comments:
AikenStandard.com is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. AikenStandard.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not AikenStandard.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
