Yard Waste

Yard Waste is a weekly service collected on your regularly scheduled collection day.  Yard waste must be placed in compostable, brown paper bags or individually owned containers that are clearly marked "yard waste."  Tree limbs and tree piles may be placed loosely at the curb for collection. 

Beginning in October 2024, tree limb piles over 6 cubic yards (or 3 bites of the knuckleboom truck) will incur a user fee before collection.  The limbs will only be collected once the fee has been paid.  Crews will leave a door tag for the resident when excessive limb piles are found, confirming the amount of limbs present, the fee required, as well as instructions for the resident on how to pay the fee and schedule service collection.  Click here if you have received a door tag and would like to make payment. 

For illustrative purposes, 6 cubic yards equals 162 cubic feet:

9' x 9' x 2'                            1 Loveseat
6' x 3' x 9'                            1 Full-sized pickup truck load
5' x 3.6' x 9’
 

Some other useful tips and reminders for customers:

• Place all yard waste at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day.
• NEVER place yard waste in your garbage or recycling cart
• It is illegal to dispose of yard waste in an NC landfill. Roll-out carts with yard waste will not be emptied.
• Grass clippings, tree and shrubbery trimmings, and leaves must be placed in brown paper lawn bags or a container clearly marked "yard waste only", weighing less than 35 pounds. NO plastic bags are permitted, with changes effective July 5, 2022.
• Limbs greater than 1 inch diameter and 12 inches long do not require bagging and should be placed with other limbs for collection.
• Limbs longer than 6 feet or greater than 12 inches in diameter are prohibited and will not be collected.
• Limb piles in excess of 6 cubic yards will incur a user fee before they will be collected.  A door tag will be left by solid waste staff with the fee amount incurred as well as instructions for payment and collection.  
• Consider backyard composting. Leaves, grass clippings, and plant material combined with kitchen scraps make an excellent compost that will enrich your garden and save tax dollars.
• Live Christmas trees and other live greenery are recyclable as yard waste. Remove tree stands, lights, ornaments, and tinsel; then place your tree curbside with other yard waste.
• Artificial Christmas trees and decorations are garbage and should NOT be placed along with yard waste.

Use of Personal Containers Permitted ONLY for Yard Waste

• Must be 44 gallons or less and be equipped with handles.
• Must be clearly marked “YARD WASTE ONLY” in large, readable letters. 
• Must weigh less than 35 pounds when full.
• If the City damages or accidentally takes an individual cart, the request will go through the Risk Management claim process. City will be responsible for damages, replacement, or reimbursement if determined at fault.
   

Reasons for change to paper bags:

• Eliminates health and safety hazards experienced by staff with lifting bags, cutting bags and standing extensively behind the truck on route.
• Brown compostable yard waste bags do not retain water/condensation and cannot be tied.
• Improved work conditions (reduced lifting and odor from tied plastic bags).
• Eliminates use of plastic as an environmental impact to our landfill.

Additional Yard Waste Placement & Restrictions

• Do not block sidewalks or traffic lanes, or place yard waste below low-hanging power or phone lines. Yard waste should be placed 2 feet from vehicles, utility poles, and other structures.
• Do not mix dirt, rocks, animal waste or trash with yard waste.
• The city does not collect yard waste that was put at the curb by a commercial landscaping company or tree company.

Loose Leaf Season (also see Loose Leaf Tracker page if in season)

• Loose leaves are collected curbside from later October/early November to January according to the published schedule.  
• Loose leaf collection schedules are announced in September. 
• Do not mix limbs, rocks, or other material with your leaves. Contamination can damage collection equipment or injure crew members or bystanders.
• Properly bagged leaves are collected year-round on your scheduled collection day.
• Leaves left at curb after loose-leaf season ends must be placed in brown compostable lawn paper bags.
• Second Chance Leaf Collection is offered for two weeks after the last week of leaf season. A fee of $75/collection will be charged to the resident.