Leaf Collection
Place leaves behind the curb, not in the street or gutter,
so they do not interfere with traffic or drainage
The Town of Wake Forest's loose leaf collection program begins each year on the first Monday in October and continues through the second Friday in March.
From mid-March through September, all leaves, pine needles and grass clippings must be bagged in paper yard waste bags for collection or placed inside a reusable cart/container clearly marked 'YW'. There is a limit of 20 biodegradable paper yard waste bags or 10 clearly marked reusable carts/containers, per week, per residence. Biodegradable paper bags and yard waste carts/containers must not exceed 45 gallons or 50 lbs. for worker's safety.
Please reference the Solid Waste Guide for what is acceptable and what is not.
Loose Leaf Collection Hotline
During loose leaf collection season, residents can track the progress of leaf collection crews by calling the Leaf Collection Hotline at 919-435-9582. The hotline is updated each weekday morning by 8 a.m. with information concerning the neighborhoods where crews will be working that day.
Loose Leaf Preparation (October - Mid-March)
When preparing leaves for collection, residents should adhere to the following guidelines:
Loose leaf collection takes place from the first Monday in October to the second Friday in March
Place leaves behind the curb, not in the street or gutter, so they do not interfere with traffic or drainage
Do not mix sticks, rocks, pine cones, garden trimmings, trash, pet waste, limbs or other debris with loose leaves. Our vacuum equipment is only designed to pick up loose leaves and pine needles, so your cooperation will help prevent equipment damage and mechanical breakdowns.
- Leaf piles should be placed at least eight feet away from other objects including cars, mailboxes, carts, trees, shrubs, etc.
Bagged Leaves Preparation (Mid-March - September)
From mid-March through September, all leaves, pine needles and grass clippings must be bagged (in paper yard waste bags) for collection. When preparing bagged leaves for collection, please adhere to the following guidelines:
Leaves should be placed in paper yard waste bags or in a reusable cart/container marked for yard waste (YW) - no more than 45 gallons or 50 lbs.
Place bagged leaves, pine needles and grass clippings behind the curb, not in the street or gutter, so they do not interfere with traffic or drainage. Please use paper yard waste bags.
Do not mix sticks, rocks, pine cones, limbs or other debris with loose leaves/pine needles/grass clippings.
There is a limit of 20 biodegradable paper yard waste bags bags or 10 clearly marked reusable carts/containers that do not exceed 45 gallons (or 50 lbs), per week, per residence.
Do not put yard waste, including leaves and grass clippings, inside rollout garbage or recycling carts
Collection Schedule
Crews adhere to the normal yard waste collection schedule by starting and completing a specific day's route before proceeding to the next day's route. When set out on the curb for collection, leaves must be free of limbs, trash, and debris. By doing this, the normally scheduled day for loose leaf collection may not occur until crews have the opportunity to resume to a normal schedule.
Yard Waste
Yard waste, such as limbs and brush, should be placed behind the curb in a pile separate from leaves. Again, please avoid creating mounds in the street. Town crews will collect these materials on your normal collection day.
Yard Waste Specifications
Limbs and brush larger than one inch but smaller than six inches in diameter must be no longer than six feet.
Limbs and logs larger than six inches in diameter must not exceed two feet.
Logs must not exceed 10 inches in diameter.
The Town of Wake Forest limits the amount of yard waste it collects to eight cubic yards (approximately two pickup truck loads), so please plan your clean up accordingly.
The Town does not collect stumps of clearing debris from lots. Yard waste pruned or cut by a contractor will be collected by the Town if it is prepared according to Town guidelines. Yard waste must be placed in front of individual homes from which the yard waste is coming from.
For more information about leaf collection and the towns yard waste collection schedule, contact Chad Hildebrandt at 919-435-9575.
919-435-9582
