Concord Fall Leaf Collection will be returning on November 2 with bulk leaf collection. Bulk collection will continue as weather permits through December 11, focusing on residential areas within the City's drainage system. Bagged collection will be returning on November 23 and continue for three weeks for residents with curbside trash collection.
Important COVID-19 Program Change
In order for our crews to practice safe social distancing, leaf vacuums will not be used for bulk leaf collection. Instead, crews will use leaf loaders. This means that bulk collection will require ALL leaves to be fully raked (loose and unbagged) into the street along the edge of the road or sidewalk. Please avoid piling leaves and keep leaves tight along the curb to keep streets clear. Any leaves not in the street will not be reachable and will not be collected. Avoid on-street parking Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. until collection is finished to not block access to leaves.
Watch a video demonstration below to see how bulk collection will work and where to place leaves.
Bulk Leaf Collection
November 2, 2020 - December 11, 2020 (weather permitting)
Three crews from our Highway and Utilities Division will collect leaves from different areas of the city. Crews will be alternating their starting locations from last year. Crew 1 will start at the Bow town line and work north. Crew 2 will start at Blossom Hill Cemetery and work north. Crew 3 will start on Mountain Road and work south on the east side of the river. View the Fall Leaf Collection Crew Sector Map to see a city-wide map of where crews plan to collect for bulk collection, focusing on the City's drainage system. Once collection starts, residents can view the Fall Leaf Collection Map to see where crews have finished collecting. Please note that the map is not available in real time and only displays roads completed by the end of the business day. Bulk collection is dependent upon the weather and will continue as possible through December 11. Due to unpredictable weather conditions and leaf volumes, it is not possible to predict when crews will reach certain areas. It's important to have leaves ready at the curb to not miss collection. We advise having leaves out ahead of the start of bulk collection. Crews can only come by locations once and will not be able to return to areas already collected. The area near Concord High School is the only area with a scheduled collection day in coordination with the Veteran’s Day school closure. Residents in this area will have bulk collection on Wednesday, November 11. This area is scheduled for collection on Veteran's Day each year to minimize public disturbance and in consideration of public safety. Residents are encouraged to have leaves ready by the start of collection, but to also be prepared for weather. Snow could possibly suspend collection, so residents should be prepared. Residents are encouraged to participate in the bagged collection program to guarantee collection (especially as the weather changes). Be proactive and bag leaves ahead of anticipated snow storms!
Bagged Leaf Collection
November 23, 2020 - December 11, 2020
Bagged leaf collection is returning for its third year on November 23 for residents with curbside trash collection and will continue for three weeks through December 11. The bagged program has been well received by residents that elect to participate in the program. The program provides an alternative method for residents to dispose of leaves, while providing more predictability with a guaranteed weekly collection. Bagged collection is not weather dependent, unlike bulk leaf collection. Leaves must be placed in biodegradable yard waste bags and/or labeled rigid containers such as trash barrels. Leaves must be placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. each Monday during bagged collection, regardless of your trash collection day. Bagged collection will not necessarily coincide with trash collection like it does in the spring due to variable leaf volumes at the curb. Leaves will be collected by the City’s solid waste contractor, Casella, and will be collected separately from trash and recycling. Although bagged collection is not weather dependent, be mindful of the weather and bag leaves early if necessary to avoid snow cover.
Alternative Options
An eco-friendly alternative is to mulch the leaves into your lawn by running over leaves with a lawn mower or mulching blade. Residents also have the option to bring leaves to a local accepting farm or Gelinas Excavation & Earth Materials Recycling Center for free with proof of residency if the load is smaller than a non-commercial pick-up truck. Brush, branches, and limbs are not acceptable materials for the City’s leaf collection, but can be dropped off separately at Gelinas Excavation & Earth Materials Recycling Center for a nominal fee. Gelinas Excavation & Earth Materials Recycling Center is located at 10 Intervale Road, off Fort Eddy Road, and is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday hours will be available from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on November 7, November 14, November 21, and December 5. No Saturday hours on November 28 due to the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Hours are weather permitting and should be confirmed by calling them ahead of drop off.
Program Questions & Concerns
We realize bulk leaf collection faces some challenges, including: collecting leaves too early from an area before all the leaves have fallen, having to suspend collection before reaching all residents due to the onset of winter weather, and the uncertainty of when collection will occur due to unpredictable leaf volumes and weather conditions. However, we know bulk collection provides convenience and is an appreciated program. Adding the bagged collection in 2018 added an additional service to address the challenges of bulk collection while providing more predictability and opportunity for residents to participate in leaf collection. Starting in 2019 crews in the south end joined the east side crew and Penacook crew in rotating their starting location each year for bulk collection. Now all three crews alternate where they start collecting leaves each year in order to provide a more fair collection for residents. If you have any questions or concerns, we ask you to please view our updated FAQs.
Please visit www.concordnh.gov/leafcollection for more program information and detailed maps.