Contact: NOVEC Public Relations, 1-888-335-0500, customerservice@novec.com

Recycle Christmas Trees at NOVEC's Gainesville Office

NORTHERN VIRGINIA – Most people agree that it's more fun to put up and decorate a Christmas tree than to take one down. But cut trees and greens need to go before they become a fire hazard.

To help reduce the post-holiday waste load on the environment, NOVEC will accept cut Christmas trees, wreaths and other greens at its Gainesville office, 5399 Wellington Branch Drive near the Route 29 and I-66 intersection. Customers may leave greenery in the front parking lot in the area designated by orange safety cones anytime from Dec. 26, 2011, to Jan. 11, 2012. Greens must be free of all decorations, metal ornament hooks, and light strings.

Tree crews will chop the greens into wood chips. NOVEC will deliver wood-chip mulch to interested customer-owners at no charge when right-of-way crews are working in their neighborhoods. Customers interested in free wood-chip mulch should complete the request form at www.novec.com under "Customer Services."Click on "Products and Other Services" and select "Wood-Chip Mulch."

For more information about obtaining mulch or recycling holiday greens, contact NOVEC's right-of-way department at 703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500, extension 1633 or 1661, or via e-mail: novecrightofway@novec.com.

"Protecting the environment is a high priority at NOVEC," says Jim Moxley, NOVEC senior vice president, administration, substations and telecommunications. "Accepting and recycling tree greens and delivering free mulch are just two ways we help our customers and the environment."