The removal of Christmas trees in the Slovak capital started on Monday, January 7, informed the municipal company Odvod a Likvidácia Odpadu (OLO), which collects and disposes of waste. It will last until the end of March.
In total, three teams consisting of one driver and two assistant drivers are taking care of leftover Christmas trees.
The collection and liquidation of the trees started in the Bratislava's Old Town borough and it will gradually move to other city districts.
“In the case of family houses, undecorated Christmas trees should be taken to the closest collection hubs, while in the case of flats they should be placed near the waste containers,” OLO specified on its website as quoted by the TASR newswire.
The Christmas trees will then be taken to Bratislava’s waste incinerator.
“By burning them with other communal waste, heat and electricity are produced and further distributed to 22,000 households,” OLO specified.
The number of Christmas trees collected increases every year. In 2014, 84 tonnes of Christmas trees were disposed of. In 2016 it was nearly 99 tonnes, in 2017 more than 112 tonnes and last year more than 128 tonnes.
Alternately, people can personally bring their Christmas trees and dispose of them at OLO‘s collection yard on Stará Ivanská Cesta, which is open from 8:00 to 18:00 every day, except Sundays and holidays.