Oh Happy Day – The Leaf and Holiday Tree Collection Guide is Here!!

Well one of my favorite days of the year anyway – it’s the time I reset the clock for the last Christmas tree in town.

From DPW:

“The fall leaf collection program runs from November 6 through January 12. Collecting leaves reduces potential accidents and injuries caused by slipping on wet leaves, and prevents catch basins (storm drains) from clogging and causing street flooding during heavy rains.

DPW will collect leaves at least twice from each residential neighborhood by “vacuuming” loose leaves residents rake into their treebox(es). Loose leaves will be sent for composting. In neighborhoods with alley trash/recycling collections, bagged leaves may be placed where trash and recycling are collected. These leaves will be collected with the trash as space in the truck permits. If you are bagging your leaves, please use paper bags.

DPW thanks residents for their patience with leaf and holiday tree collections, which may be affected by snow/ice/rain events. The leaf collection crews are the backbone of the District’s snow removal force so when a snow or ice event is predicted they switch from leaf collections to snow operations.

Holiday trees and greenery will be collected from the curb in front of DPW serviced households between January 13 and February 2 on your scheduled recycling days. Trees and greenery collected during these three weeks (and those brought to the Fort Totten and Benning Road transfer stations) will be composted and made available to residents for free. Trees and greenery collected after February 2 will be collected with the trash as space permits in the truck. Please remove ornaments, tinsel and other decorations and put the tree(s) and greenery where your trash and recycling are collected.

As a reminder, apartment buildings with four or more units are required to provide their tenants with solid waste collections, including holiday trees.”