Residents across the RDOS with regular garbage collection on Thursday will not receive refuse collection on Christmas and New Years Days. Residents  in the Town of Oliver will have their collection day shifted to Saturday during the holidays.

Residents in these areas with collection on Thursday December 25th and January 1st will get pickup on December 27th and January 3rd instead. Regular collections for these areas resume January 8th.

Give your Christmas Tree and burnt out Christmas lights a second life this holiday season by recycling them at one of many convenient locations throughout the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.

Burning Christmas Trees create strong smoke due to moisture in the wood and needles. Fine particulates from smoke have been linked to respiratory and heart diseases. Any tinsel, fake snow or ornaments left on the tree will create added pollution when burnt.

All landfills in the Regional District will accept, free of charge up to 500 kg (1,100 lbs), clean natural Christmas Trees free of tinsel, fake snow, ornaments and lights. The trees will be chipped and given new life as animal bedding or compost.

Several communities offer seasonal Christmas Tree collection or drop off programs:

• Town of Oliver residents can drop off Christmas Trees at the south gate of the Oliver Public Works Yard at 5971 Sawmill Road. This service will run from December 26 to Friday, January 9. This program is supported by the local Air Cadets.
• Town of Osoyoos residents can drop off Christmas Trees adjacent to the washroom at Kinsmen Park (on boulevard) or at the Northwest Corner of the Parking Lot below Sun Bowl Arena sign until Monday, January 12.

Used Christmas lights and all other lighting equipment can also be recycled for free at the J&C Bottle Depot in Penticton, the T-2 Bottle Depot in Oliver and the Osoyoos Bottle Depot. The Campbell Mountain Landfill, Oliver and Keremeos Landfills can also accept lighting equipment free of charge. For more information visit www.lightrecycle.