CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING URGED.

Byline: Daily News

As the old year was ending, hundreds of people were using the holiday weekend to recycle their Christmas trees.

Most Los Angeles and Ventura county residents can easily get rid of the drying Christmas tree by putting them out with the rest of the trash.

If you live in a city that uses a yard waste container, cut the trees up and place them in the container.

Before placing a tree on the curb, remove its stands, all decorations, tinsel and other nonorganic parts.

Los Angeles city residents are asked to cut their trees in half and put them into the green containers normally used for yard trimmings. It is a violation of the city's fire code to leave trees out by themselves, separate from the green containers, according to the Department of Public Works.

Los Angeles apartment residents who don't have normal curbside collection or people without room in their green containers can bring their discarded trees to one of a dozen drop-off points throughout the city. The drop-off points are open today and Jan. 6 and 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In the San Fernando Valley, the Christmas tree drop-off sites are:

--Encino: Balboa Sports Center, 17015 Burbank Blvd.

--Arleta: Branford Park, 13300 Branford St.

--Sunland: Sunland Park, 8651 Foothill Blvd.

--Chatsworth: Chatsworth Park South, 22360 Devonshire St.

For help in finding a Los Angeles city drop-off location, call (800) 5TREE-56.

For information on tree recycling in every city and unincorporated area throughout Los Angeles County, go to www.dpw.co.la.us and click on environmental resources. You can also call the Los Angeles County environmental hotline: (888) CLEANLA.

The city of Glendale will recycle Christmas trees through Jan. 12, but there will be no tree drop-off sites. For local trash pickup dates or other information on Glendale's Christmas Tree Recycling Program, call [phone].

In both Glendale and Burbank, trees taller than eight feet should be cut in half.

The city of Burbank will pick up trees for recycling on regular trash days, Jan. 2 through Jan. 12.

Through Jan. 14, Burbank residents may also drop off discarded Christmas trees at the parking lot of Brace Canyon Park, 2850 Haven Way, and on the south side of Verdugo Park, 3201 West Verdugo Ave.

For information on Burbank's Christmas Tree Recycling Program, call [phone].

Most Ventura County communities also recycle trees, at curbside on regular collection days, placed either in yard waste containers or directly on the curb.

Ventura County also has at least nine drop-off points for tree recycling.

To get information on a Ventura County city's tree recycling regulations or drop-off points, call the Ventura County Solid Waste Management Department's hotline at [phone] or (800) CLEANUP.