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.

Used Christmas lights and all other lighting equipment can 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.ca.

Several communities offer Christmas Tree collection or drop off programs:
• For a donation, the Penticton Fire Fighters Local 1399 will pick up Christmas Trees from December 27 to January 18. All donations received will go to the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund and Muscular Dystrophy charities. Penticton and West Bench residents can call 250-490-2315 to register for collection. Residents can also drop off clean natural Christmas Trees at Fire Hall #2 at 285 Dawson Ave from December 26 to January 31.

• 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 8. 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 11.

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