Christmas tree chipping service is a resounding success (From Cotswold Journal)

Christmas tree chipping service is a resounding success

12:57pm Monday 8th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

CHIPPING Norton residents helped West Oxfordshire collect 11.3 tonnes of Christmas tree chippings this year, which is equivalent to the weight of two African elephants.

Snow and freezing weather did not stop West Oxfordshire residents from taking their Christmas trees to nine drop-off points, which were situated around the district and included one in Chipping Norton.

West Oxfordshire District Council annually operates the drop-off points, at which trees are turned into chippings that are then recycled to create eco-friendly biomass energy.

This year, 11.3 tonnes of chippings were collected, which is almost a tonne more than the 10.25 tonnes collected last year.

Oxfordshire-based Goodwood Tree Care Ltd helped with these sessions, half of the chippings from which have been sent for biomass and will create enough energy to supply heat and hot water to a large, three-bedroom house for more than four months during the winter.

The rest have been used locally on shrub beds.

Coun David Harvey, the council’s environment cabinet member, said: “We are extremely grateful and I would like to thank our residents.

“This has stopped hundreds of trees from going to landfill and they are being put to good use instead.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)