If you live in the city don’t rake your leaves into the street. They won’t get picked up.

Instead, the city is asking residents to put leaves in biodegradable bags and place the bags on the curb for their scheduled pick up. There is no limit to the number of bags. Biodegradable bags can be found at many area lawn and garden sales locations.

Here’s the problem with putting the leaves in the street.

So many leaves are falling this season it is testing the limits on street sweepers to get the streets clean.

The machines don’t have the capacity to handle that many leaves, says Doug Collins, superintendent of the City of Detroit’s Solid Waste Division.

“It is important for residents to know that raking leaves into the street is not the proper way to prepare yard waste for collection and will force our operators to leave leaf piles behind,” he says.

If large amounts of leaves are being swept onto the street, not only will the waste pile be left behind but the road will not be swept.

The bags can be placed on the curb at the time of pickup, which will allow the department to sweep residential streets more efficiently.

Yard waste collection will continue until December 15, allowing for three more biweekly pickups before the snow season begins.

City residents can verify their yard waste pick up schedules by visiting the city’s website at https://www.detroitmi.gov/PublicWorks or by calling 313 224-0033

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  City of Detroit, leaf pick-up, yard waste collection in Detroit