Keep It Green. Recycle Your Leaves.

The Leaf Recycling Program is one of several services provided by the Streets Department to honor the City's on-going commitment to recycling. This recycling program helps to reduce the amount of materials that reach the waste stream and saves landfill space. Mechanical collection and bagged drop-off services are provided.

What are the dates of the program?

The 2020 Philly Leaf Recycling Program begins Monday, November 9 and ends Saturday, December 19, 2020.

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What do residents need to know?

Bagged Leaf Drop-Off will be offered city-wide, on Saturdays only at 13 citywide locations from 9 AM to 3 PM (except on November 14th and 28th). A designated fleet of sanitation compactors will be positioned at the sites to accept the bagged leaves. Crews assigned to accept ONLY bagged leaves and yard waste as part of the program. No household rubbish will be accepted.

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Residents are asked to follow these tips for bagged leaf drop-off:

• Residents must place leaves in large brown biodegradable paper bags. Using these bags helps eliminates the extensive process of ripping open, dumping, and disposing of plastic bags.
• Never mix trash or other recyclable materials with bagged leaves. This contaminates leaves and makes them unfit for recycling purposes.

Click here for more information and a detailed list of drop-off locations.

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Mechanical leaf collection:

Mechanical leaf collection is provided as a supplement to bagged collections in areas identified as having heavy accumulations of leaves and will be offered on a designated weekly schedule in areas with a heavy concentration of leaves.

Sanitation crews collect leaves in each designated mechanical collection areas, covering one (1) or two (2) Sanitation Areas each week. The crews use leaf blowers and mechanical sweepers to move leaves into the street. Tractor-trailer vacuums and/or leaf loaders are used to pick up the leaves. 

Tips:

• All leaves should be raked (un-bagged) and ready for collection by 7:00 AM the day of mechanical collection. Rake leaves into the street by the curb’s edge (piling is not necessary).
• If possible, move your vehicle to an off-street parking location on your scheduled collection day, so crews can remove leaves along the curb line.
• Residents in mechanical areas can also drop-off bagged leaves.