The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will begin its annual leaf vacuuming program on Monday, Nov. 9. It will continue into December, with two potential collections planned for each home. Prior to those pickups, MCDOT will post signs along neighborhood streets with the upcoming leaf-vacuuming date.
Residents are asked to pile leaves at the edge of their yard or curb, not in the street, bike lanes, or on sidewalks. Leaves in these areas can disrupt traffic, pose a safety hazard to cyclists and pedestrians, negatively impact stormwater drainage, and pose a fire hazard to automobiles parked over them.
“The program was developed to keep leaves out of storm gutters, which clog the drains and cause drainage problems. Please do not put leaf piles in the street,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “We offer this service to help manage heavy leaf debris this time of year.”
Since 1983, the County has composted the leaves it collects at a County-operated facility in Dickerson. The compost produces a fertilizer called Leafgro, which is sold in retail stores. Profits feed back into the program to keep costs low.
It is important that no extra debris is mixed into the leaves that are set out for vacuuming. Plastic contamination can result in unusable compost. Tree branches, coarse garden debris, sticks, and branches should be placed in containers or tied in bundles no more than four feet long and set out for recycling pick up.
“Last leafing season, crews collected more than 73,000 cubic yards of leaves,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Our Highway Services crew are responsible for keeping the 63,000 storm drains on public roads in Montgomery County free of yard waste and debris that can clog drainage systems and cause flooding. Leaf vacuuming is a critical part of that strategy. The leaves and yard trim collected by the County last year produced more than 37,000 tons of Leafgro, which is sold at major retailers in five states and Washington, D.C.”
Advertisement
Residents who miss the two scheduled vacuum collections in their neighborhood, or who do not live within the leaf vacuuming area, can have their leaves collected by placing them in paper yard trim bags or reusable containers for pickup on their regular recycling and yard trim collection day. Another option is to mow fallen leaves into the yard to allow them to compost naturally or to compost them in a bin on your property.
Leaves placed in plastic bags will not be accepted. Residents may also bring properly bagged leaves to the Shady Grove Transfer Station. Compost bins are available on the My Green Montgomery webpage.
To determine if a property is within the boundaries of the leaf vacuum collection district or to view the collection schedule, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/leafing. You may also visit 311 online or call 311 Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. If you’re calling from outside the County but still within Maryland use the full number, 240-777-0311. The number for MD Relay is 711 and the toll-free/out-of-state number at 1-800-735-2258.
Neighborhoods that wish to be added to the leaf vacuuming district next year should call 240-777-7623 to arrange that through MCDOT. Requirements include a petition signed by at least 100 homes and a public hearing.
Advertisement
For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.
# # #
Read the original article at mcdot
