City Offers New Approaches for Handling Leaves

The City of St. John’s is taking a new approach to managing residential leaves. The City is encouraging homeowners to mulch leaves to improve the health of their lawn. If there are too many leaves to mulch residents can avail of the new Curbside Leaf Collection Pilot Program and place bagged leaves at the curb on their regular garbage collection days in November.

Leaf Mulching
Residents are encouraged to mulch their leaves. Leaves can be mulched using a lawn mower and left on the lawn. This is a cost-effective option which is beneficial to the environment and one’s lawn.

Curbside Leaf Collection Pilot Program
If residents have too many leaves to mulch the City is undertaking a Curbside Leaf Collection Pilot Program from November 1 to 30. Leaves placed in paper yard waste bags will be collected on residents’ regular garbage day. Leaves in paper yard waste bags will be composted and used for landscaping purposes at the Robin Hood Bay Waste Management Facility. There is no limit to the number of bags set out per household when paper yard waste bags are used. 

Curbside Leaf Collection using Plastic Garbage Bags
Leaves can also be placed in regular plastic garbage bags and placed at the curb as part of regular garbage collection. Leaves in plastic garbage bags will count toward the limit of 10 bags of garbage per week each household.  

The sites formerly used for leaf drop-off (Bowring Park and Quidi Vidi Lake parking lots) have been closed. An information brochure on mulching, the Curbside Leaf Collection Pilot Program, and a coupon for paper yard waste bags redeemable at RONA will be mailed to residents beginning October 25. This information can also be found online at www.curbitstjohns.ca/leaves.

For further information:
Shelley Pardy
Communications and Public Relations Officer
City of St. John's
Phone: (709) 576-4510
Cell: (709) 699-4091
E-mail: communications@stjohns.ca