Westport Sets Dates for Curbside Leaf Collection

WESTPORT, CT — The town's curbside leaf collection is scheduled for November 1 through December 5, the Westport Department of Public Works announced.

Though the town offers curbside collection each year, officials request that homeowners consider the feasibility of backyard composting and suggests that they contact the Westport Conservation Department (at 203-341-1170) or the environmental museum and educational facility Earthplace (203-227-7253) for relevant information.

"The ease and cost savings of backyard composting provides a viable alternative to either carting the leaves to the Town yard waste site or filling paper bags for curbside pickup," officials wrote in a statement. "DO NOT DUMP LEAVES INTO WATERWAYS OR WETLANDS."

Leaves in biodegradable paper bags that are placed at curbside during the collection period will be picked up by the Public Works Department. Residents living on private roadways must place bagged leaves at an intersecting Town roadway. Leaves placed in plastic bags will not be picked up, because the compositing process cannot handle plastic bags.

Public Works crews will make passes throughout the entire town several times during the collection period, according to officials, with the final pass beginning on December 5, which will take approximately one week. Any properly bagged leaves placed curbside before December 5 will be collected.

Resident vehicles displaying a valid WP sticker may deliver leaves directly to the yard waste site located at 180 Bayberry Lane.

"If leaves are transported in plastic bags, the resident must empty the bags prior to disposal." The yard waste site is open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturdays 7 a.m. to noon. From November 5 through December 3, Saturday hours at the yard waste site will be extended to 3 p.m.

Residents' vans, pickups or tag-along trailers displaying a valid sticker may deliver up to six (6) 30 gallon bags or containers full of leaves without a fee. A van, pickup or tag-along trailer exceeding the six (6) bag limit will be charged $30 per load.

Any vehicle or trailer larger than a conventional pickup with a 4-foot by 8-foot bed will be charged $80 per ton. Any vehicles with a 9-foot body or vehicles changed to significantly enlarge their factory design size will be charged $80 per ton estimated at 2 tons without weigh slip ($160.00)

Dump tickets to cover the cost of the disposal fee must be purchased at Town Hall, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or by mail to Department of Public Works, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, CT 06880.

Photo credit: Flickr user Liz West via Creative Commons

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