All You Need to Know About DC Leaf Collection

The leaf vacuum trucks will be out in DC starting this week. You should have received a flyer in the mail about leaf collection from DPW, but if you lost it or don't think you ever received it in the first place, here's what you need to know:

Residents are asked to place bagged or loose leaves into the treebox on the weekend before their collection cycles.

Leaf collection season runs through January 14, 2012, and every neighborhood in the District will have its leaves collected. To find out when your block will have its leaves collected, go to http://leaf.dcgis.dc.gov/.

Here are some tips from DPW about the leaf collection program:

*  Rake leaves into the treebox or the area adjacent to the curb on the weekend before your street's collection cycles, or place bagged leaves where you put your trash/recycling. This year DPW will compost bagged leaves as well as the loose leaves vacuumed from the treebox.

*  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).

*  Please remember to drive slowly and carefully around the leaf collection crews, or change your route and avoid them altogether.

Leaf collection season coincides with the beginning of snow season. When snow and/or ice are predicted, DPW stops collecting leaves to convert the leaf equipment to snow plows. No leaves are collected until after the snow event ends.

You can find more detailed information in the 2011-2012 Leaf Collection Brochure.