Pick-up, drop-off options save landfill space; non-working lights also wanted

COVINGTON, Ky. – An early heads up: When the holidays are over and your once-“live” tree is shedding needles, the City of Covington wants it.

“Rather than take up space in a land-fill, the tree is better off shredded and turned into mulch that can be used to beautify garden spots around the City,” said Stephanie Bacher, the City’s Solid Waste & Recycling Coordinator.

To make that happen, the City and Rumpke Waste & Recycling are offering residents both pick-up and drop-off options as part of the 10th annual Holiday Tree Recycling Program, which gets under way later this holiday season.

Residents will have two options:

One: Arrange to have their tree picked up on regular trash collection days by calling Rumpke at (800) 828-8171 at least 48 hours in advance. This option starts Jan. 4 and lasts until Jan. 18. (The phone call alerts Rumpke so it can send a special truck.)

Two: Drop off trees from Dec. 26 through Jan. 18 at three different locations:

• In South Covington at the parking lot at Tripoli and Hands Pike, adjacent to Neighborhood Park.
• At the Urban Forestry Garage at 1700 Montague Road in Devou Park.
• In the parking lot at 14 Pete Rose Pier. Follow Bakewell Street to its foot, go through the cut in the Ohio River floodwall, then look to the west in the gravel area.

Residents should prepare their trees by removing all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and other decorations. Trees should not be placed in plastic bags.

Solid Waste & Recycling and Rumpke are partnering with the Department of Public Works’ Urban Forestry Division and Keep Covington Beautiful on the recycling initiative.

The recycled trees will be chipped into mulch, which will be used by the Urban Forestry Division and offered to residents and neighborhood groups for community gardens and neighborhood beautification efforts. To schedule a mulch pickup, contact Urban Forester Patrick Moore at pmoore@covingtonky.gov or (859) 292-2300.

‘Dead’ light strands wanted

Similarly, the City is collecting non-working strands of holiday lights to recycle.

Lights can be dropped off at four locations in Covington until Feb. 1:

• The lobby at City Hall, at 20 West Pike St. (open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday).
• Covington Fire Department’s Station 5 at 1255 Hands Pike (the bin is outside and available 24/7).
• The lobby at The Center for Great Neighborhoods, 321 M.L. King Jr. Blvd./W. 12th St. (open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday–Thursday; and 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday).
• The lobby at Covington Public Works, 1730 Russell St. (open 7 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday–Friday).

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