Recycle your Christmas Tree in 2003

12.00.00am GMT Fri 10th Jan 2003

Following the successful house-to-house Christmas Tree Collection in January 2002, Islington Council is repeating the effort. From January 6 residents living in street frontages can put unwanted trees out for collection within sight of the road - not on the pavement. Trees should be stripped of all ornaments and tinsel. This will be the third year the scheme has operated - in the first year (Jan 2001) 500 trees were collected compared to last year's (Jan 2002) figure of 3,500. Trees are collected and chipped for use as path surfacing in Islington's parks and gardens. So pleased was environmental charity 'EnCams' with Islington residents' efforts last year that they awarded the borough Best Borough Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme in the London region. Cllr Bridget Fox, executive member for sustainability said: "Residents young and old are really taking up the environmental challenge of the 3Rs - reuse, reduce and recycle. The Christmas tree collection benefits local people by making the streets tidier, benefits the parks and gardens as path and bed surfacing and benefits the environment by reducing landfill. Across the borough we are committed to increasing opportunities for recycling so that Islington really can say we are 'getting greener'. "