LEAF COLLECTION PROGRAM

The leaf collection program is one of the biggest challenges for your Public Works Department. This challenge consists of staying in advance of Mother Nature's blend of falling leaves in very large volumes and possible blankets of snow covering the leaf wind-rows. Early season snow falls severely hamper a professional collection effort.

SPECIAL SPRING COLLECTION - The Township will provide a special, one week only, leaf collection in the Spring of 2009. The collection will begin on Monday, April 5, 2010 and end on Friday, April 9, 2010. Leaves should be placed at curbside for this pick on the weekend prior to April 6th. In the unlikely event of snow during this period, leaves will be collected the following week. Please do not put out any loose leaves after April 4, 2010. Any remaining leaves after April 5th should be bagged for collection on normal trash days.

The Township’s fall leaf collection program will begin on Monday, October 4, 2010 and end on Wednesday, December 29, 2010. The program plan is divided into Area I and Area II for scheduled pick-up. Please refer to the street index for the Area to which your particular street is assigned.

FINAL PASS - A final pass will be made throughout the Township beginning Monday, December 13th and concluding Wednesday, December 29th weather permitting. The final pass will cover both areas through the 30th or until the first significant snowfall. In prior years additional passes were made thru both areas due to a very successful program and very cooperative weather conditions. Public Works will strive to continue making extra passes in 2010. If extra passes are made, they will be in addition to the above schedule and the scheduled passes will be maintained as shown above.  Leaves may not be put out after December 26th to allow crews time to complete the final collection.

Our collection program uses "leaf vacuums" pulled by trucks housing large volume boxes for collection. The leaf vacuum will come by each house at least one time within each scheduled pass. As seen from the above schedule, each Area is scheduled for three (3) Passes. PLEASE be reminded that once the leaf vacuum has past your house, in order to keep to the schedule we cannot accommodate requests for returns until the next scheduled pass. In the past we were able to make extra passes thru both routes, weather permitting. Any extra passes will be in addition to those scheduled and not in lieu of. The schedule will still be maintained as advertised.

Cooperation from every resident is essential for the program's success.

Please follow these other guidelines, suggestions and tips to help us provide the best service possible:

• Place your leaves in wind-rows(long, narrow, neat piles), curbside by the starting dates for your Area. This is the preferred way of placing your leaves for collection. Residents may place leaves curbside in open bags, but this is not preferred. Bagged leaves will be collected at the same time and schedule as vacuum collection. No separate collection will be done for bagged leaves.

• Whether you rake or use a hand leafblower, your leaves should NOT be placed in the street, per Township Ordinance 23A-2. This creates havoc if an early snow storm hits!

• Do not park vehicles in front of leaf wind-rows…..if we can't reach your leaves we can't vacuum them! No twigs, branches, trash, or other debris are to be in leaf wind-rows. These items must be removed from your leaves prior to our vacuum arrival. These materials damage our vacuums creating equipment downtime which hampers our ability to keep to the schedule. If we find these materials in your leaves, your wind-rows will be left and we will not return until the next pass. At the next pass, your wind-rows will still need to be clear of these materials.

• If you have a contractor/landscaper they need to be instructed on these guidelines or to take the leaves with them.

• Once the final pass has been completed on your street, residents must bag all remaining leaves and place them curbside in open bags. If you are unsure if the final pass has been completed on your street - please call the Public Works Facility at 371-7152 for information.

If we encounter wet conditions (fall rain/snow) vacuum operations are much more difficult. These conditions slow down our operations. We employ other equipment to collect wet leaves, however, scheduling could be affected.

After December 31st, all leaves must be bagged and placed at curbside for collection on regular trash days or on your bulk day. Leaves will be collected in bags throughout the year until vacuuming resumes next October.

Please remember that once the leaf collection program begins in October, wood chipping will be suspended until the first Monday in January. Thanks for your understanding of this necessary change and for not placing chipping at curbside.

© Copyright 2010
EAST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP
16 LANNING BOULEVARD
EAST WINDSOR, NJ 08520
East-Windsor.NJ.US