Dearborn Leaf Collection

Loose leaf collection in Dearborn scheduled to begin the week of October 20

Loose leaf collection is scheduled to begin in Dearborn on Oct. 25 and end on Dec. 4, and residents should know there are important changes in the program this year before raking leaves into the street.

For 2010, residents are encouraged to rake leaves into the street only on the day before their neighborhood’s Public Service Days, which will be on your trash day April through November. Cars must be removed from streets on these days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contractors paid by residents to rake leaves must follow the same rule.

Crews may not be able to pick up all the loose leaves in a neighborhood on Public Service Day. They will return on the neighborhood’s next trash pickup day to collect the rest.

Keeping parked cars off the street on Public Service Days allows city crews to reach curb to curb and complete activities like street sweeping and leaf collection more efficiently.

Avoid raking leaves into the street too early, as leaves left to pile up in the street for days before scheduled collection can present traffic and safety hazards.

Large amounts of dry leaves raked into the street represent a potential fire hazard if hot vehicles park over them.

And piles of wet leaves in the street can be slippery, potentially reducing a vehicle’s stopping time.

For the duration of the leaf collection season, it is also advisable to move parked vehicles off the street during trash collection day.

Remember that leaves can be disposed of by bagging them or putting them in proper containers for pickup on regular trash collection days. Residents must use either 20-32 gallon containers with a City yard waste sticker on the lid (available at City Hall), or proper yard waste paper bags.

Leaves in plastic bags or in cardboard boxes will not be picked up.