By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Those looking to get rid of their live Christmas trees after the holiday has passed will have a chance to do so at several drop-off locations throughout Shelby County, according to county officials.

Shelby County has teamed up with the city of Chelsea, the city of Pelham and the Propst Alabaster company to offering a Christmas tree recycling program at five designated locations in the county.

The recycling locations will be open from Dec. 27 through Jan. 3 at the following locations:

-Heardmont Park on Cahaba Valley Road – Alabama 119

-Chelsea City Hall in Chelsea

-Ray Building off Shelby County 70 in Columbiana

-In the Propst Promenade shopping center located at end of AmStar Theatre parking lot

-Pelham City Park located off of the U.S. 31 entrance in Pelham

The five drop-off areas will be designated with orange traffic cones and signs, and will be monitored daily by county crews.

All decorations, lights and tree stands must be removed before the trees are dropped off.

The county has offered the recycling program for the past several years, and regularly recycles more than 1,000 trees each year.

“We plan to recycle the Christmas trees into landscape and erosion/sediment control materials for county facilities and decrease the volume of illegal dumping that occurs each year,” said Shelby County Manager Alex Dudchock.