As Christmas decorations are put away for another year, Rome's refuse collection service AMA has asked people not to dispose of their Christmas trees in bins but rather recycle them at any of the city's 11 collection points, between 7 and 15 January.

After collection, the trees will be sent to the AMA facility in Maccarese to be turned into high quality fertilser and compost. In the cases of healthy, potted Christmas trees the state forestry department will arrange for them to be replanted at its headquarers in Arcinazzo Romano as part of its environmental education programme.

AMA has also requested that artificial trees be disposed of in the correct manner, by calling their mobile units for bulky refuse collection instead of dumping them in the street bins.

Now in its sixth year, the initiative by AMA is organised in collaboration with Rome