- Service: Croydon Council’s Christmas tree collection
- Start Date: Begins Monday for residents
- Issue: No collection times or locations provided
- Affected: Croydon residents only
- Status: Service launching despite missing details
- Context: Annual post-holiday tree pickup program
Christmas tree collections by Croydon Council are scheduled to start on Monday and last for two weeks, ending on Friday, January 16. After that, you are stuck with your tree if you haven’t left it outside for disposal.
At this time of year, thousands of fir trees on our streets are effectively fly-tipped by the council and Veolia, their garbage contractors. Therefore, be cautious when attempting to navigate the pavements.
It is helpful to note that the service is for “real Christmas trees (not plastic)” on the council website.
When Veoli’s trucks will be visiting specific locations to remove the unwanted trees is not disclosed by the council. It might happen at some point. It might never happen.
“Put your tree out by Monday January 5 – it will be collected as soon as possible by Friday January 16,”
they say.
“Remove all decorations, lights, pots, and stands,”
they add.
This is where it all gets a bit tricksy.
“Place your tree at the edge of your property, clearly visible from the road, without blocking pavements or access routes.”
At least since December 24, the majority of council services have been closed. By now, libraries and recreation centers ought presumably to resume their regular business hours. However, there were rumors (which have not yet been verified) that at least one public library closed early on Friday for “health and safety reasons” due to a small snowfall in the morning.
For a lengthier time than in 2024–2025, the council’s contact center which is meant to provide support on a variety of council-related matters, such as housing, parking permits, and council tax was closed. Finding vacation cover must be a major challenge for the council’s middle managers, as there are fewer front-line employees following years of cuts under Katherine Kerswell.
Before the end of next week, Veolia’s services won’t resume as usual.
The council states that “waste collection dates will be delayed either by one, two, or three days” until January 9.
However, one fortunate homeowner believed they had struck gold when they checked their location on the council website and discovered that a green waste pickup was planned for December 25. Indeed, have a happy Christmas.
The council stated,
“Festive recycling newsletters have been delivered and can be downloaded from our website.”
However, some readers have said that deliveries of paper copies of information that people could find useful have been as dependable as Del Boy’s Reliant Robin.
What are alternative disposal options for real trees in Croydon?
Residents subscribed to Croydon’s theater waste collection service can hash real Christmas trees into lower pieces and place them in their brown lockers on regular collection days.
Trees can be taken to Croydon’s Household Reuse and Recycling Centres( e.g., Purley Oaks Road or Broad Lane) for free composting, removing all decorations and securing trees to vehicles; no booking needed for vans under 3.5 tonnes.
Bespeak a paid council volley via Croydon’s website for trees too large for lockers. Original enterprises like Pines & Needles or Tree Sisters offer paid doorstep recycling, turning trees into mulch or chippings.
