The District Department of Public Works started leaf collection Monday in Section A of Ward 3 – east of Connecticut Avenue and west of Beach Drive. If you haven’t done so already, it is not too late to rush your leaves to the curb. This round of leaf collection continues through Saturday, November 7th.
Rake leaves to the tree box area (not the parking area in the street) or bag the leaves in paper bags and place them in same area. Do not include tree limbs, dirt or rocks. Check the status of your specific address at leaf.dcgis.dc.gov.
Residents who live in Section B between Massachusetts Avenue and Connecticut need to be ready as of this Sunday, November 8th. Your leaves will be collected between November 9th and 14th.
For pickup dates in other parts of DC, see leaf.dcgis.dc.gov.
What happens to the leaves DPW picks up? They get turned into compost. You can also put out bags of leaves with trash or bring them to the Fort Totten waste transfer station at 4900 John F. McCormack Drive, Northeast. Leaves in paper bags will also be composted. The free compost will be available at Fort Totten on Saturdays from March through October.
Here’s the public notice about leaf collection:
2015-2016 Leaf Collection Season Begins Monday, November 2
Leaf collection season runs from November 2, 2015 through January 9, 2016. This season, DPW will follow a one-week, rather than two-week, collection schedule to reduce the time between when you rake/bag your leaves and when DPW collects them. DPW will make two one-week passes in each neighborhood between November 2 and January 9. Residents are asked to rake their leaves into the treebox near their home or place bagged leaves (paper bags, please) in the treebox. Residents also may place bagged leaves where their trash/recycling are collected. Loose and bagged leaves placed in treeboxes will be composted. Bagged leaves placed where trash and recycling are collected also will be composted.
Leaves will be removed from neighborhoods at least twice, following the schedule that can be found at Find the Leaf Collection Schedule for Your Neighborhood on the DPW Website, dpw.dc.gov. Residents who receive DPW trash and recycling collection services will receive a copy of the leaf collection schedule in the mail or go to Leaf Collection Brochure.
Please note carefully when DPW will be in your neighborhood and have your leaves ready for collection by the Sunday of each of your collection weeks.
Residents should note that the same crews that collect leaves also remove snow, so leaf collection may be interrupted for snow removal duties.
During the last two weeks of leaf collection season (December 26-January 8), DPW will collect holiday trees and other greenery from residents whose trash is collected by DPW. Trees and greenery should be placed where the resident’s trash is collected. Please remove all ornaments and lights and do not put the tree(s) and greenery in a bag. Trees and greenery collected during these two weeks will be composted.