HOUSTON – On the lot and when they are first displayed in your home, Christmas trees are fresh, green and fragrant, but after a few weeks, live trees dry out and can turn into a fire hazard.

Instead of tossing the faded evergreen in the trash, consider repurposing.

The city of Houston will offer tree recycling services from Dec. 28 to Jan. 15, 2017.

Residents can place their tree at the curb for collection on your Tree Waste Day in January, or they can bring it to one of the 24 drop-off locations across the city.

The trees must be free of tinsel, bags, stands and water bowls. Flocked trees are not accepted.

City-wide drop-off locations:

Central Neighborhood Depository – 2240 Central St., Wednesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kirkpatrick Neighborhood Depository – 5565 Kirkpatrick, Wednesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sommermeyer Neighborhood Depository – 14400 Sommermeyer, Wednesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

N. Main Neighborhood Depository – 9003 N. Main, Wednesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Southwest Neighborhood Depository – 10785 Southwest Freeway, Wednesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunbeam Neighborhood Depository – 5100 Sunbeam, Wednesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kingwood – Bens View Lane and Bens Branch Drive, daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Doss Park – 2500 Frick Road, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Memorial Park Ball Fields 4 and 5 – 7300 Memorial Drive, daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

T.C. Jester Park – 4200 T.C. Jester West, daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Ellington Airport Recycling Drop-Off – Highway 3 at Brantley Road, daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Westpark Consumer Recycling Center, 5900 Westpark, Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Jan. 2.

The following Living Earth drop-off locations will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 2:

5802 Crawford Road, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

1503 Industrial Drive, Missouri City, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

1700 Highway 90A East, Richmond, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

12202 Cutten Road, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

16138 Highway 6, Rosharon, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

5210 S. Sam Houston Parkway East, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

27733 Katy Freeway, Katy, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

10310 Beaumont Highway, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

17555 Interstate 45 South, Conroe, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

20611 U.S. Highway 59, New Caney, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

1000 F.M. 1266, Dickinson, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

16717 Katy Freeway, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon

Trees will be ground into mulch which can be purchased in bulk from Living Earth or in bags at Houston-area retailers.

For more information about Christmas tree recycling in Houston, visit houstontx.gov.

The Ground Up is also offering Christmas tree recycling at the following facilities until Jan. 28:

9945 Windfern Road

19102 F.M. 1093 Road, Richmond

For more information about recycling at The Ground Up, visit thegroundup.com.