Papamoa couple step up to solve dilemma of unwanted Christmas trees

Brendon Copeland, pictured with his son Lincoln Copeland, 1, has been taking people's Christmas trees to transfer stations to be recycled. Photo/ Andrew Warner

With Christmas now behind us many people will be starting to pack up the tinsel and put the baubles away for another year.

But what are you to do with your Christmas tree?

A Papamoa couple have taken it upon themselves to help people dispose of their unwanted trees.

Brendon Copeland and his partner, Anna Farley, are offering to pick up people's Christmas trees in their local community of Papamoa and drop them off at a transfer station for a small fee of $5.

Farley said she thought it would be a good idea because she knew some people would find it difficult to take their own trees to a transfer station.

"I know what [Christmas trees] are like, they're a really awkward shape and the needles can get stuck in your car," she said.

Despite helping others dispose of their Christmas trees, the couple did not have a Christmas tree of their own this year because of their 1-year-old son, Lincoln Copeland.

'He's into everything and he would just destroy it," Farley laughed.

The couple have lived in Papamoa for the past four years and thought taking people's trees away would be a kind thing to do.

"We've got a bit of spare time right now and we've got a trailer so we thought why not help others out," Farley said.

The couple had already taken a run of trees away on Friday, December 29, but had found a lot of people were waiting until the new year to dispose of their trees.

More Christmas-tree rubbish-dump runs were planned for January.

"You just get a good feeling helping others," Copeland said.

Tauranga City Council communications manager Aimee Driscoll said Tauranga's transfer stations received about 400 to 500 Christmas trees for recycling each holiday season.

"Most residents do the right thing by recycling their trees, so fortunately there is very little trouble with residents dumping their trees illegally."

She said any trees that had been reported illegally dumped were dealt with by sending contractors out to clear the item and an infringement was issued to the perpetrator if there was evidence to prove they were responsible for the illegal dumping.

Council's transfer stations at Te Maunga and Maleme St accepted trees as a whole as long as they were under three metres in length and artificial Christmas trees would be sent to landfill.

Christmas trees were treated as regular trees and were recycled as green waste at Tauranga's transfer stations, Driscoll said.

"Through the green waste recycling process, the trees will be chipped and turned into compost for use on farms and orchards around the Bay of Plenty.

"With most Christmas trees weighing less than 90 kilos, only the minimum green waste charge of $11 applies," Driscoll said.

For more information on the Christmas tree removal service offered by Brendon Copeland call- 0210560425.