Buffalo – Mayor Byron Brown today announced that the City of Buffalo will collect bagged leaves and yard waste from now until December 1^st. City residents can put their bagged leaves at the curb during this time period for composting.

“The City of Buffalo appreciates the cooperation of its citizens in helping this year's bagged leaf collection process run as smoothly as possible,” said Mayor Brown, noting that participation in the city’s leaf recycling program further protects our environment and addresses his green vision goal of 34% recycling by 2017. “I encourage our residents to learn about the different leaf recycling collection alternatives available to them citywide so that our community can continue to properly recycle, saving taxpayer dollars by keeping leaves out of landfills.”

To participate in this collection, city residents are asked to place their leaves in clear plastic bags or brown recyclable bags.   These bags are available at local hardware stores, home centers, and other retailers. There is no limit to the number of paper leaf bags residents may place at the curb for pickup. Yard waste in the form of sticks and branches should be tied in bundles with ‘twine’ or ‘rope’ and be no longer than 4 feet in length. Do not rake leaves into the street; leaves should not be placed in garbage totes. Also, residents should be advised that raking leaves into city streets is illegal and punishable by fine.

Residents are also being asked to place their yard waste on the curb. Yard waste and bagged leaves may be picked up on a different day than the garbage day. City residents should not be concerned if they are left behind after garbage removal.

As an alternative to the curbside bagged leaves and yard waste collection, the city opened five drop-off locations where residents can bring their unwanted leaves and yard waste.

The five sites are:

• Cazenovia Park - Golf course parking lot, off Wildwood Place
• MLK Park – Fillmore Avenue parking lot
• Schiller Park – Springer Street parking lot
• Shoshone Park - parking lot, at foot of Beard Avenue
• 1120 Seneca Street – DPW Engineering Garage parking lot, between Babcock and Smith*

Drop off hours at the four park locations are from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday until December First. * Drop off hours at 1120 Seneca Street are from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Monday- Friday, and the first Saturday of the month from 8:00AM – 2:00PM, year round*.