Christmas tree disposal in Barnstable, MAChristmas treepickup inBarnstable.

The December 26 to March 31 window

The Disposal Options page says Christmas trees can be disposed of at the Transfer Station for no fee, with a permit, from December 26 to March 31. The fee schedule for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 repeats it, listing trees in the basic recyclables list. No other dates are posted. That means 2026-27 trees can come in from Saturday, December 26, 2026 through Wednesday, March 31, 2027.

Without a permit, the schedule charges $10 per visit for basic recyclables. We read that to cover a tree, since trees are on the basic recyclables list, but call 508-420-2258 to confirm.

Holiday hours around the tree window

The hours page lists Christmas Eve as a half day and Christmas Day as closed, and New Year's Day is also on the closed list. Normal hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day. The page says the station can close for heavy snow and poor road conditions, so check the radio stations the town lists in January before you load a tree.

Holiday lights are also recycled at the station. The DPW says they are accepted for no fee with a permit, starting in mid-November through mid-January; no year is given, so ask when you arrive.

If you can't drive it over

A tall tree does not ride well in a small car. Strip the lights and tinsel and cut the tree down if the stand does not come off.

JUNKRUN takes the tree with the rest of the after-holiday pile: boxes, a broken artificial tree, an old sofa or a mattress. The minimum pickup is $159, a quarter trailer is $209, a half is $319, and a bag or box is $11. There is no travel fee, and we carry from porches, garages and condos in every village. If the station window has closed, we take trees too.

Artificial trees, wreaths and stands

The posted list names Christmas trees. It does not name artificial trees, wreaths, garland or tree stands. An artificial tree is not a Christmas tree on that list, so ask the gate attendant at 508-420-2258 how it is charged.

If the question is what to do with ten boxes of old decorations and a dead strand of lights, the lights have their own recycling window, from mid-November through mid-January per the DPW. Household trash is $10 a bag without a permit.

Christmas tree dates at the Barnstable Transfer Station, 2026-27

1. December 24, 2026

   Half day. The hours page lists Christmas Eve as a half day.

2. December 25, 2026

   Closed for Christmas Day.

3. December 26, 2026

   Tree window opens: no fee with a permit.

4. January 1, 2027

   Closed for New Year's Day.

5. March 31, 2027

   Last day of the posted tree window.

6. After March 31

   No dates posted. Call 508-420-2258.

Local resources in Barnstable

Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.

• Transfer station

  Barnstable Transfer Station & Recycling Center

  Accepts: Bagged household trash and sorted recyclables with a permit or a per-bag fee; leaves, cardboard, cans, glass, plastic, textiles, car batteries, waste oil; fees for mattresses, furniture, appliances, TVs, tires, bulk metal and construction debris. Not asphalt, concrete or brick.

  Open every day 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., closed on listed holidays. License-plate permit, no sticker.

  45 Flint Street, Marstons Mills, MA 02648
  508-420-2258

Sources

Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Barnstable before you go.

• Town of Barnstable DPW: Disposal Options: “no fee (with a permit) from December 26 to March 31” · accessed November 6, 2026
• Town of Barnstable DPW: Solid Waste Division: “Basic Recyclables (No Fee with Permit)” · accessed November 6, 2026
• Town of Barnstable: Transfer Station Hours: “Christmas Eve Dec. 24 1/2 day” · accessed November 6, 2026
• Town of Barnstable DPW: Disposal Options: “starting in mid-November through mid-January” · accessed November 6, 2026