Starting this year, there will no longer be leaf vacuum service. The new approach provides a better, more consistent service throughout the entire fall season for all residents served by city waste collection. There continue to be many ways to dispose of your leaves.
1. Keep them! It’s free fertilizer:
- Mow leaves back into your lawn. It is great for your soil and often easier than raking. Mow regularly, especially if the leaves are wet. You might need to make a couple of passes to break leaves down into dime-sized pieces. You do not need a special mower to mulch your leaves.
- Compost them. Leaves are great for backyard composting.
2. Let us take them. If you have city waste service, we will pick up yard waste each week on your regular collection day. That material is turned into mulch.
- Put them in your grey yard cart. If you don’t have one or need a new one, simply call LexCall at 311 or submit a request online.
- Fill up yard waste bags. Coupons for free bags were mailed in the At Your Service newsletter delivered in September. A postcard with additional coupons will arrive at homes in late October. Coupons can be redeemed at Chevy Chase Hardware, Home Depot, Kroger, Lowe’s, Meijer, and Walmart. Yard waste bags will be picked up by a different crew than those servicing carts. Don’t report missed service until the end of the day.
- If using bags, ONLY use paper yard waste bags. Material put in plastic bags will be taken to the landfill.
Please note: Yard waste carts will not be serviced the week of Thanksgiving. Only yard waste bags, plus trash and recycle carts, will be collected.
3. Bring the leaves to us. Fayette County residents and businesses can dispose of unlimited yard waste for no fee at Haley Pike during November and December. The facility is located at 4216 Hedger Lane and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On each of the following Saturdays, Haley Pike will be open from 8 a.m. to noon to accept yard waste material: Nov. 5 and 19 and Dec. 3, 10 and 17. Residents can take two pickup loads per month at no charge for the rest of the year.
- Yard waste taken to Haley Pike does not need to be bagged. Loads transported in open-bed trucks should be tarped.
- If you do bag material, use paper yard waste bags. The material in plastic bags will not be accepted. The city has a limited supply of free leaf chutes available for Fayette County residents.
Never dispose of leaves or other yard waste by putting it in the street. It can clog storm drains, leading to flooding issues. It also overwhelms local creeks with nutrients, causing water quality issues. You can be a super resident by adopting your local storm drain, helping to keep it clear of debris and reporting problems to LexCall.