News
November 26, 2008
City Parks Are Not Dumping Grounds For Yard Waste
Citizens and businesses should not dump their leaves and other yard waste in City of Raleigh parks.
“We have a continual problem of citizens dumping yard waste in the parks. It gets worse during the leaf season,” said Ivan Dickey, assistant superintendent of parks for the City’s Parks and Recreation Department.
He added that area landscaping and grounds maintenance companies dump grass clippings and pruning debris into City parks from nearby properties. Streams have been blocked by leaves and other yard waste improperly disposed of at City parks, Mr. Dickey said.
“The general thing we hear when we talk to violators is that (yard waste) is all natural and biodegradable, so there should not be a problem. The parks are not there for the disposal of yard waste, plus this (improper disposal) quickly exceeds the park’s ability to handle yard waste naturally,” Mr. Dickey said.
When leaves are improperly disposed of at City parks, Parks and Recreation employees are summoned to move the leaves to a street curb for removal by crews with the City’s leaf collection program. The City is reminding residents that the annual leaf collection program has begun and that crews will make a complete sweep of Raleigh prior to Christmas. Collection started with neighborhoods west of Wade Avenue on Nov. 12 and is rotating clockwise to other areas of the city. A second sweep of Raleigh is scheduled to begin on Jan. 5, with completion on Feb. 16.
Each week, advertisements in local newspapers and announcements on cable channel 22 will let citizens know when their neighborhoods will have leaves collected. Residents can also call the Raleigh Leaf Line at 996-3720 for a daily update or visit the City of Raleigh’s web site at www.raleighnc.gov/leaf for more information.
For the leaf collection program residents should rake their leaves into piles at the curb, avoiding creating piles in the street. Residents should not pile leaves on top of water meters. Particularly sensitive to being covered by leaves and other yard waste are the small silver disks or antennas on new water meters being installed in Raleigh and five towns served by the City’s water and sewer system. Covering this equipment could lead to delays in getting your utility bill or it may prompt the City to send you an estimated bill. In addition to Raleigh, the new water meters are being installed in Garner, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon.
The City’s leaf collection program is just one way to properly dispose of leaves. Leaves and other yard waste also are picked up at the curb, along with garbage and recycling, on the regularly scheduled weekly collection day. When set out on the curb for regular weekly collection, yard waste should always be placed in clear plastic bags, permanent containers or biodegradable paper yard waste bags. Yard waste also may be tied into bundles of not more than five feet in length, 18 inches in diameter and 75 pounds in weight.
Prepared by:
John Boyette
Public Affairs Specialist
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
John Boyette
Public Affairs Specialist
Public Affairs Department
222 West Hargett Street
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-996-3003
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