The exact dates are listed in the waste management calendar for 2019, which has been sent to every household in Bonn. They are in the box with a green background under "Grünabfallsammlung" ("Green waste collection"). Pick-up dates can also be found on the "bonnorange" website.

For pick-up, trees need to be placed on the side of the road and be clearly visible. It helps the waste disposal workers do their job as they sometimes come by early in the morning hours when it is still dark outside.

Very important: All decorations should be removed from the tree beforehand, including lights, bulbs, tinsel and everything else. Decorations that remain are a hindrance to the processing of the tree and they reduce the quality of the compost. Also, if the tree is more than two meters tall, it needs to be shortened accordingly.

As an alternative, anyone can discard their tree outside of the January collection dates. There are two collection points in Bonn, and they are open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm: Bonn (waste recycling plant, Am Dickobskreuz, Tor 2) and Bad Godesberg (recycling complex on Weststraße 11). The location at “Am Dickobskreuz” is also open Saturdays from 8am until 12 noon. Disposal of the tree in a green container is also possible.

RSAG is responsible for the disposal of trees in the Rhein-Sieg district on the left bank of the Rhine. The dates are in RSAG's waste disposal calendar: https://www.rsag.de/abfallkalender/ One has to enter enter the town and street of residence to get the corresponding waste schedule. Christmas trees are picked up at the same time the organic waste bin is emptied every 14 days.

RSAG guarantees that the trees will be collected by the end of February. Joachim Schölzel, RSAG press spokesman, adds: "By the way, there are no preferred Christmas tree pick-up dates. It is distributed almost evenly over the months of January and February."

Residents here are asked to shorten their trees to around one meter before disposal, and bound long branches with compostable twine or rope. Schözel says, “One should be considerate of the health of the waste disposal workers,” referring to the weight of trees when people place them uncut at the side of the road.

The trees are shredded at the composting plant in Swisttal-Miel and the plant in Gut Müttinghoven and are then composted. Christmas tree owners who do not want to wait for RSAG's pick-up appointments can take their stripped-down tree directly to the disposal facility in Miel. The Bornheim municipal utility also offers citizens the opportunity to bring their Christmas tree to the green waste collection point on Donnerbachweg.

Christmas trees and other organic waste must not be discarded in the forest because it is harmful to the environment. Fines will be issued.

As an alternative, the wood can be burned in one's own wood-burning oven. However, forest protection organization PEFC emphasizes that the wood must first be dried out, for about a year.

The National Association of Garden and Landscaping in Germany advises people who have backyards that they might want to shred the wood and make a winter retreat for animals. Birds, for example might hide there when they sense danger. Those who have created a pile of leaves in autumn, where hedgehogs can spend the winter, can add to that heap as it decays, filling in the holes.

Another idea involves using it gardens, "If you can shred the tree, you can mulch the beds with the material," says Philip Heldt from the Consumer Center NRW. Stronger branches can also be used as perches for birds in a cage or pets who enjoy climbing. Some wildlife parks also accept trees as toys or food for elephants, camels or deer - as long as the trees are not chemically treated and are completely stripped of decorations.

With imagination and skill, Do-It-Yourself fans also have many options. "In contrast to oak or beech, coniferous wood is quite soft and well suited for carving," explains Fetz. For example, it can be used as a coat stand in the hallway. The branches serve as hooks on which coats and jackets, bags, scarves and caps can hang. "If the stripped and sanded trunk is whitewashed in white lime or chalk paint, it looks stylish and elegant," advises Fetz.

(Orig. text: Marcel Dörsing, Ralf Palm (with material from dpa), Translation: Carol Kloeppel)