Overview
- Hamburg’s waste service begins curbside pickups on 5 January 2026, with one set date in each district during the second and third weeks of January and strict rules for fully undecorated trees up to 2.50 meters, while larger trees incur a fee.
- Leipzig offers 160 free drop‑off sites from 27 December to 31 January and accepts trees at recycling yards, requires all decorations removed, and warns that illegal dumping is an administrative offense typically fined €25 to €50.
- Dresden accepts trees free of charge at all municipal recycling yards from 27 December to 31 January, sets up 100+ temporary collection points from 29 December to 10 January, and turns the material into wood chips for fuel.
- Frankfurt outlines three options: cut and place in household bins if shortened to about one meter, direct drop‑off at RMB Rhein‑Main Biokompost, or free neighborhood collections running from 7 to 27 January 2026 with trees placed visible and undecorated.
- Guidance across cities reiterates no lametta or lights due to composting and biomass use, notes that older leaded lametta must be treated as hazardous waste, and reminds residents that traditional removal dates vary despite shifting church practice since 1970.