City of Cleveland Seasonal Leaf Pick-up Begins Week of November 6

November 1, 2023 — Cleveland — The Department of Public Works Division of Street Maintenance 2023 leaf pick-up program will begin the week of November 6 and run for eight weeks through December 29 (weather permitting).  

As in years past, the program will focus on high-generation areas, defined as areas with the highest concentration of city-owned tree lawn trees, potentially causing hazardous conditions or flooding. 

Leaves collected from high-generation areas will be transported to an approved leaf compost site, diverting 2,000 tons of leaf material from the waste stream. 

The division will systematically deploy sweepers, leaf machines, end loaders and leaf blowers in these areas over the course of the program. High-generation areas have been vetted by streets supervisors in partnership with Urban Forestry, the Cuyahoga County Tree Canopy and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability.  

Leaf pick-up signage will be posted one week in advance of service being provided to allow residents in that area time to move collected leaves to the tree lawn. Signage will also be posted in neighborhoods to remind residents not to park on the street on leaf collection days.  

Residents are reminded never to rake leaves into the street, where they may clog sewers, create hazards for traffic and cyclists, and affect snow and ice control.  

Residents in all areas of the city may bag leaves and place bagged leaves out with their trash on their regular waste collection day. Residents who bag leaves may set out 20 leaf bags with their trash for the duration of leaf collection season. Based on volume and weather conditions on collection day, residents’ trash may be picked up first, followed by bagged leaves.  

Residents may also opt to ‘leave the leaves’ or turn them into mulch by mowing over leaves and chopping them into small pieces to use in their home gardens and landscapes.  

“Instead of raking leaves 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 and Climate Justice Sarah O’Keeffe. “Fallen leaves also provide an important winter habitat for wildlife.”