Leaves are falling and the D.C. Department of Public Works said Wednesday it’s ready to deploy more than 200 employees to start collecting them.
Leaf collection season runs Monday through Jan. 14, and the DPW said every neighborhood in the District will have its leaves collected.
“The program works best when residents rake their leaves into the treebox the weekend before the first day of their neighborhood’s collection cycles,” DPW Director William O. Howland Jr. said in a press release. “The crews move fairly quickly, especially in the opening weeks because there are fewer leaves. So to make sure your leaves are collected, the weekend before the collection cycle begins, put loose or bagged leaves in the treebox or place bagged leaves where you put your trash/recycling.”
The DPW will compost bagged leaves as well as the loose leaves vacuumed from the treeboxes.
Here are some tips for a smooth-running leaf collection season:
- Look up your street’s collection schedule in the leaf collection brochure or at http://leaf.dcgis.dc.gov/.
- Rake leaves into the treebox the weekend before your street’s collection cycles.
- Please – leaves only! Tree limbs, bricks, dirt, rocks, etc., will damage the equipment and delay collections.
- Prevent fires, parking problems and possible flooding by placing leaves in the treebox, not in the street. When it rains, leaves will block the storm drains and cause flooding. Please remove any leaves you see blocking the storm drains.
- If you choose to bag your leaves, please use paper bags. Plastic bags will be accepted but paper bags are preferred. You may place bagged leaves in the treebox or next to the trash/recycling container(s).
- Protect the safety of our crews by driving slowly around their work area or change your route and avoid them altogether.
