Getting Rid of Your Christmas Tree in Berlin: Free Pickup Dates and What They Actually Require
BSR, Berlin's own waste management operator, collects Christmas trees for free from the curb in every district every January, and it's worth knowing the exact rules rather than just leaving a tree out and hoping. In the 2026 season, BSR collected trees between January 10 and January 24, with two pickup dates per Stadtteil; January 2027 dates are not published yet, so expect a similar window and check your address in BSR's digital collection calendar at bsr.de/weihnachten once it is updated. Trees need to be at the curb by 6am on the actual collection day, or already out the evening before, and completely undecorated and unpackaged, no ornaments, lights, tinsel, or the plastic netting used to transport the tree home, since only a bare tree is picked up. If you'd rather get rid of your tree before the scheduled window, BSR's own Recyclinghöfe accept trees free of charge up to one cubic meter at any time. Anyone without internet access can call BSR directly at 030 7592-4900 to check their specific pickup date instead.
The Official Rule
If your Christmas tree is bare and ready to go and you’re wondering what to actually do with it in Berlin, there’s a real, free system for this, as long as you follow a few specific rules and catch the right date for your own street.
BSR, Berlin’s municipal waste management operator, collects Christmas trees for free from the curb in every district every January. In the 2026 season, collection ran between January 10 and January 24, with two pickup dates per Stadtteil rather than one single citywide day. BSR had not published January 2027 dates at the time of writing (October 2026), so expect a similar window. The exact dates for your address are checkable through BSR’s own digital collection calendar at bsr.de/weihnachten, and anyone without internet access can call BSR directly at 030 7592-4900 to confirm them instead.
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Curbside collection | Free, January 10-24 in 2026 with two pickup dates per Stadtteil; 2027 dates not yet published |
| No internet access | Call BSR at 030 7592-4900 to confirm your specific pickup date |
| Recyclinghof drop-off | Free up to 1 cubic meter, available any time, no need to wait for the scheduled window |
Whichever route you use, the requirement is the same: the tree has to be completely bare. All ornaments, lights, tinsel, and the plastic transport netting used to bring the tree home need to be removed first and disposed of separately as regular household waste or packaging recycling, since only the stripped-down tree itself gets collected. Trees need to be at the curb by 6am on the actual collection day, or already out the evening before, matching the same timing rules as Berlin’s regular waste collection.
If you’d rather not wait for your street’s scheduled date, BSR’s own Recyclinghöfe take Christmas trees free of charge, up to one cubic meter, any time. This is the more flexible option for anyone who wants the tree gone before mid-January, or who missed their own street’s window entirely.
In Practice
What goes wrong most often is not the collection window itself but forgetting to fully strip the tree, or putting it out on the wrong day because a single citywide date was assumed. BSR lists the dates per Stadtteil, so check bsr.de/weihnachten for your own address rather than going by a neighbor’s date or last year’s schedule. Put the tree out whole: BSR asks that it is neither wrapped nor chopped up.
For anyone who wants the tree gone sooner, or is unsure whether their date has already passed, the Recyclinghof option is the simplest fallback: no waiting on a specific window, no risk of missing the truck.
Step by Step
- Strip your tree completely: remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, and the plastic transport netting before putting it out.
- Check your address’s pickup dates at bsr.de/weihnachten (the January 2027 dates are not published yet; in 2026 the window was January 10-24), or call BSR at 030 7592-4900 if you don’t have internet access.
- Dispose of decorations and packaging separately through your regular household waste or packaging recycling stream at home.
- Put the bare tree at the curb by 6am on your collection day, or the evening before.
- If you’d rather not wait for your scheduled date, take the tree to a BSR Recyclinghof instead, free up to one cubic meter, any time.
Compliance Note
This page explains BSR’s general Christmas tree disposal program in Berlin, current as of mid-2026, using the 2026 season’s specific dates as an illustrative example. It is not official BSR communication. Exact dates and district schedules can change each season, confirm current details directly with BSR before disposing of your tree.
FAQ & Common Pitfalls
Can I just leave my tree on the curb outside my building any day in January?
Not on any day you choose: BSR sets two pickup dates per Stadtteil within its January window, and its digital calendar at bsr.de/weihnachten shows them for your address. Putting a tree out on the wrong day risks it just not being collected as part of the free program, since BSR follows a district-by-district schedule rather than a single citywide date.
Do I need to remove all the tinsel and lights myself?
Yes, completely. Only a bare tree is accepted, ornaments, lights, tinsel, and the plastic transport netting used to bring the tree home all need to come off first and go into your regular household waste or packaging recycling stream at home, not stay on the tree at the curb.
What if I want to get rid of my tree before BSR's scheduled pickup?
BSR's own Recyclinghöfe accept Christmas trees free of charge, up to one cubic meter, at any time, you don't have to wait for the scheduled January window if you'd rather drop the tree off yourself.
What if I don't have internet access to check my street's exact pickup date?
Call BSR directly at 030 7592-4900, they can confirm your specific district and street's collection date over the phone rather than requiring you to use the online calendar.