Knoxville Public Service Department crews are preparing for their transition to leaf collection season, which begins Monday, Nov. 4, and continues through February.

Brush season ends the last full week of October, with Oct. 25 being the last day of brush collection. From Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, City crews will be preparing their leaf collection equipment and finishing up any final work from brush season.

Residents can rake loose leaves to the curb for crews to collect during leaf season. 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 27,000 tons of yard waste, of which 5,200 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 solution for everyone. Our collection trucks do not require our customers to bag their leaves, and 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 trash.

To learn when the next leaf collection run is scheduled for your neighborhood, call 311. Or, visit http://bit.ly/LeafPickUpByStreet – simply enter your street name to find out in which week crews will be picking up leaves in your block.