The City collects very large volumes of yard waste, grass clippings, hedge and shrubbery trimmings and leaves on a seasonal basis. Grass clippings and trimmings are collected generally between mid March to late October or early November on an extended schedule. Leaves are collected primarily between late October to mid November and December 31. The Public Works Collection Division hires additional seasonal temporary workers during these periods and works a six day week, daylight to dusk.

Grass trimmings, hedge trimmings and leaves should be placed at curbside in piles to facilitate collection by City equipment. Please do not bag your yard waste. The vacuum trucks have no means of storing or transporting garbage or yard waste bags. Hedge and shrubbery trimmings that are too large to be collected by vacuum equipment must be stacked adjacent to but not mixed with leaves or grass trimmings. Yard waste must not be placed over or near any storm sewer inlet. Do not place or allow to be placed or to continue the accumulation of leaves from your premises on a sidewalk, on an area that pedestrians would be expected to use to walk upon parallel to a public street, or a median strip within a public right-of-way.

Collections are scheduled for your regular collection day, but due to the large volumes of yard waste accumulated and the limited number of personnel and vehicles to deal with the material, it is not unusual at seasonal peaks to lag as much as two weeks behind schedule. the City employs large body vacuum trucks to collect these materials, but due to their light weight as compared to their bulk, frequent trips to the disposal facility to dump are necessary. Your patience and cooperation during these active seasons is greatly appreciated.

There is an available associated benefit of yard waste collection. the City operates a yard waste compost facility at its Solid Waste Management Facility under a permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The mulch and compost that is the end product is available to the public at a reasonable fee for use in landscaping, gardening, flower bedding, etc. (Mulch & Compost Info)