Yard Trimmings: Leaves, Grass, and Branches

Keeping yard trimmings out of the landfill saves valuable space and allows nature to reduce yard debris into basic organic material. 30% of Takoma Park's solid waste, about 2,000 tons each year, is leaves, branches and grass. Yard trimmings are collected on Monday and must be in paper bags, trash cans or other easily emptied containers. Plastic bags will NOT be collected. The leaves and grass are on their way to be composted and plastic does not decompose.

Grass clippings can be composted at home or left on the lawn after mowing. There is little evidence that this latter course will lead to excess thatch and it certainly reduces the work of lawn care.

Branches, brush, sticks and vines must be tied in small bundles or placed in cans or paper bags. Branches and sticks must be less than 4 feet long and no more than 3 inches thick to be picked up.

During the fall the City provides vacuum collections for loose leaves raked to the curb. The collection is announced by mailers and in the newsletter.

Christmas trees are also collected by the City. Trees should be stripped of all lights, ornaments, tinsel, etc. and placed on the curb for Monday's collection in January.

• Your Pickup Schedule: What to Put Out and When
• Holiday Collection Schedule
• Precycling: Reducing Waste Before Purchase
• Yard Trimmings: Leaves, Grass, and Branches
• Composting: Making Friends of Earthworms
• Glass: What Is and What Isn't Recyclable
• Metals Containers: Just Rinse & Recycle
• Appliances: CFC's And You
• Plastics: Expanded Beyond Bottles
• Got Milk? You can now recycle the container!
• Paper: Newspaper, Cardboard and Junk Mail
• Computer and Electronics Recycling
• Compact Flourescent Bulbs: Recycle - Don’t Break
• Hazardous Materials: Not For the Regular Trash
• Motor Oil and Antifreeze: For the Do-It-Yourselfers
• Dumpsters & Storage Pods - Permit Required
• Donations: Trash to Treasure
• City, County and State Telephone Numbers
• Map to Public Works Department