INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Indianapolis' new method for disposing of Christmas trees doesn't sit well with recycling advocates.

The Indianapolis Star reports (indy.st/1xvcGCt) the city no longer allows residents to drop off their used Christmas trees in parks for recycling. Instead, trash collectors will pick up trees at curbside and burn them with other solid waste.

Department of Public Works spokesman Scott Manning says the new policy is more convenient for residents and saves the city the manpower needed to collect the trees and put them through a wood chipper. He says the task typically took a team of six employees about four to six weeks to complete.

Opponents say the new policy reflects a troubling trend by a city that they see as increasingly discouraging efforts to recycle.