 With cooler temperatures comes falling leaves
Soon the beautiful colors of fall will be upon us and the trees will begin to shed their leaves and what do I do with them? Here are a few tips!
- Recycling & Yard Waste is now serviced every week along with trash pickup.
- Residents can receive only one yard waste cart per household at no cost.
The Solid Waste Department in effort to decrease reliance on single-use plastic recommends the following.
- Use paper bags instead of plastic. Paper bags can go directly into the composting process. Yard waste in plastic bags must be debagged before the contents can enter into the composting process.
- Use a 32-gallon bin purchased from your local home improvement store. You can also request a city-issued 96 gallon yard waste can from the city free of charge.
- Think about mulching your leaves and yard waste back into your yard using your lawn mower. This process provides rich nutrients back into the soil for your lawn.
Yard Waste Guidelines
1) Yard Waste Materials Include:
- Leaves
- Grass trimmings
- Flowers
- Limbs & branches
2) Branches are to be up to 4 feet in length and NOT be more than 3 inches in diameter.
3) Yard Waste must be kept either bagged or loose in a 32 gallon or 96 gallon cart with the lid closed.
- If yard waste cart is unavailable, ALL branches and limbs should be bundled and tied with string; Leaves need to be bagged. Do NOT exceed 18 inches in diameter and 50 pounds.
4) Carts, bags and bundles need to be placed at the curb leaving 3 feet between other carts and objects.
- Carts and bags should NOT exceed more than 50 pounds.
Click here for more information on yard waste removal.
What should I avoid doing with my leaves and grass trimmings?
Leaves and grass trimmings if not managed or disposed of properly can become a hazard. It is unlawful to sweep, blow, throw or deposit leaves and grass clippings onto any public street, ditch, culvert, alley, sidewalk or onto an adjoining property of another person. Leaves and grass clippings that are swept or blown out into our public streets become a very slick and dangerous hazard for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. In addition, yard waste debris left in the street gets carried away into the city storm drains and that can lead to obstructions and flooding our neighborhoods.
Click here to view - Sec 25-268 Protection of Property Ordinance (Yard Waste)
On behalf of the City of Fort Smith your assistance is greatly appreciated!
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