By Steve Tawa

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The City of Philadelphia wants residents to bring their old Christmas trees to a city recycling center rather than putting them out with the trash.

The Streets Department says it is offering an environmentally friendly alternative for the disposal of your Christmas tree after the holidays.

Recycling director Phil Bresee says workers will be accepting Christmas trees during a two-week stretch, starting January 7th, at three Streets Department sanitation centers — in Northeast Philadelpha, Southwest Philadelphia, and Manayunk.

The addresses are State Road and Ashburner Street, 3033 South 63rd Street, and Domino Lane and Umbria Street.

Officials say trees brought to the drop-off sites should be free of all lights, decorations, and garland, and untied.  And don’t put them in plastic bags.

At least ten neighborhood civic associations have more localized drop-off sites the weekend of January 5th-6th.

“Check to see where you’re at and whether your civic association is doing a recycling dropoff event,” Bresee advises.

After the trees are collected, they’ll be composted or shredded for mulch.

“Last year we did 22 tons worth of trees,” Bresee tells KYW Newsradio.

He says that any trees left curbside will not be recycled — they’ll be handled as trash, picked up on regularly scheduled trash days, and put in a landfill.