Leaf and yard waste collected weekly for the fall

Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham, Works Department would like to advise residents that the frequency of leaf and yard waste collection will change to weekly for the fall season in the City of Pickering, the Municipality of Clarington, the Town of Ajax, and the townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge.

When: Starting the week of September 21 in Ajax and Clarington, and starting the week of September 28 in Pickering, Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge, leaf and yard waste will be collected weekly on regular waste collection days. The last scheduled leaf and yard waste collection for the season is December 11. Residents should check their waste management calendars, visit durham.ca/waste or download the Durham Region Waste App to see their specific collection days.

Where: Weekly collection will take place in the City of Pickering, the Municipality of Clarington, the Town of Ajax, and the townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge.

Leaf and yard waste collection for City of Oshawa and Town of Whitby residents is the responsibility of those individual municipalities, not the Region of Durham. These residents should contact their local municipality for information about collection frequency and set-out limits.

Why: Seventy per cent of leaf and yard waste is collected in the fall (October and November). During the summer months (June to September), leaf and yard waste collection is reduced to every other week due to lower volumes of material.

The leaf and yard waste and green bin organics collected through the Region's residential curbside collection program is taken to a processing facility and turned into high-quality compost. The Region gives a portion of this compost back to the community at its annual spring compost giveaway events.

Looking for ways to reduce the amount of yard waste you generate? Try these helpful tips:

• Compost your yard waste in backyard composter.
• Practice “grasscycling” by leaving your grass clippings on your lawn.
• Mulch leaves for use in your garden.

Note: Please place yard waste in kraft paper bags, or clearly labelled rigid open-top reusable containers. Securely tie brush in bundles up to one metre (three feet) in length and 76 centimetres (30 inches) in width, weighing no more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds). Brush and tree trimmings must be 10 centimetres (four inches) or less in diameter. Yard waste set out in plastic bags will not be collected. Grass clippings are not acceptable leaf and yard waste material and will not be collected.

For more information on leaf and yard waste collection service and other waste management programs, please visit durham.ca/Waste, email Waste@durham.ca, call 905-697-5300 (toll-free at 1-800-667-5671) or download the Durham Region Waste App at durham.ca/WasteApp.

- 30 -

For more information, please contact Corporate Communications.