CLEVELAND — Some residents were surprised and angry to find the city had canceled collection of leaf piles in parts of Cleveland this week.
What You Need To Know
- Cleveland residents instructed to bag leaves in order to have them picked up
- No limit on bagged leaves, which are collected along with trash services
- City official says this makes all of the city’s wards equitable
On Wednesday, Mayor Justin Bibb’s office reponded by announcing that the city had instituted a new plan that would guarantee pick-up in the city’s 17 wards.
One caveat is that leaves must be bagged in order to qualify for removal, which will be collected with the usual trash collection. There’s no limit to the amount of bags residents can use.
According to Chief Operating Officer Bonnie Teeuwen, the new policy will address inequity in the city.
“The city’s program was never applied equitably citywide. In some cases, one side of the street was part of the program, and the other side was not,” said Teeuwen in a press release. “Now, our message to all residents is the same: if you want your leaves picked up, bag them and set the bags out on your designated waste collection day.”
The city is also suggesting that residents may want to skip bagging leaves altogether, instead using them as mulch for gardens.
“Instead of raking them to the tree lawn or bagging them up for collection, an environmentally friendly alternative is raking them into garden beds or around the bases of trees and shrubs, where they will fertilize the soil as they break down,” said Cleveland’s Director of Sustainability Sarah O’Keeffe.
Bibb’s office also offered a list of Dos and Don’ts for residents:
- Do bag leaves and set bags out for collection on designated waste days.
- Do mow over the leaves and use them as mulch or start composting.
- Don’t rake loose leaves onto the tree-lawn, they will not be collected.
- Don’t rake leaves onto the street, they will cause blockages in the sewers and problems in the snow.
