Knoxville is finally experiencing hints of fall weather as City Public Service Department crews prepare to switch to leaf collection season, which officially begins Monday, Nov. 5.

During this time, residents can rake loose leaves to the curb for crews to collect. The service helps homeowners avoid the hassle of bagging leaves while also providing environmental benefits, as collected leaves are converted into mulch.

The result of an estimated 59,000 households participating in the City’s yard waste program makes a significant impact. Last year, crews collected roughly 31,000 tons of yard waste, of which 4,500 tons were leaves.

During leaf season, large vacuums are added to most of the yard waste collection vehicles, which then make three to four collection runs from November through February.

“Our yard waste collection service offers a win-win solution for everybody—both because our collection trucks do not require our customers to bag their leaves and because the leaves are recycled into mulch,” said Chad Weth, Public Service Director. “The frequency of yard waste collection year-round makes ours a leading service in Tennessee, so it’s definitely a perk unique to being a City of Knoxville resident.”

Curbside Leaf Collection Tips

• Loose leaves should be placed in piles along the curb in a parallel row.
• Avoid placing leaves next to obstructions for the service vehicle.
• Leaves cannot be collected if they are mixed with brush or any other trash.

To learn when the next leaf collection run is scheduled for your neighborhood, call 311 or visit https://leafpickup.knoxvilletn.gov.