New Canaan Leaf Collection Schedule Announced

It’s time to grab the rakes and begin fall leaf cleanup around town.

Starting Monday, Oct. 26, the town’s vacuum trucks will pick up the leaves raked to curbside by homeowners in those areas zoned for building lots of one acre or less.

Residents of those areas, are asked to rake leaves into the curb. Leaves should not be placed in plastic bags or mixed with brush or debris. The leaves are recycled into garden compost so they must be free of foreign matter. Debris or sticks will clog the vacuum trucks causing breakdowns and delays. Leaves must be in a windrow, not in a pile.

Residents in the 2- or 4-acre zones of town are asked to compost the leaves on their own property. Vacuum trucks will not collect in those areas.

Yard maintenance contractors must have proper forms (available at Highway Department office) signed by New Canaan residents before they can dispose of leaves at the composting area, located across from the Waveny entrance on Lapham Road. Residents may also deposit their leaves at that location.

The town will screen contractors to be sure that the leaves originate in New Canaan. Anyone found violating this policy will be suspended from using the facility for an appropriate period of time as determined by the Director of Public Works.

Composted material is usually made available to local residents for use in their gardens to enrich their soil, the following spring.

The composting site will be opened daily from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during normal working days. Leaves may be raked to curbside until Monday, Nov. 23.

Leaves put out after that date will not be collected by the Highway Department, however, the leaf composting site will be available through Friday, Dec. 4.

For more information, call 203-594-3704.

Photo credit: David Goehring via Flickr.com.