Cleaning up fallen tree limbs from recent high winds is about to become easier – curbside yard waste pickup begins this coming week – the week of March 25.
Yard waste pickup will continue through Nov. 29 this year. City neighbors may place yard waste items at the curb on their regular trash pickup day each week during this time.
Leaves, downed branches and other yard waste should be placed in specially marked containers and/or paper yard waste bags, or tied into four-foot bundles. The bags are available at most area grocery and hardware stores. Approved containers may be up to 32 gallons in size and should be clearly marked “yard waste only.” Each bag, container, or bundle must weigh 50 pounds or less.
Extra “yard waste only” stickers for marking containers are available in the Utility Billing office on the first floor of City Hall, 10 N. Division St.
Neighbors also have the option of renting a 96-gallon cart for yard waste collection from Waste Management. These can be used for trash during the winter months, December to March. Call 866-797-0918 for options and pricing.
Other options for addressing yard waste are mowing the lawn and leaving the grass to create natural mulch, or hauling yard waste to Brice Pit, the city’s compost site, at 715 W. River Road. Brice Pit is open 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Please don’t let leaves and other lawn debris run into storm drains on city streets. If you have an inlet near your property, we ask for your help to make sure it remains clear, to avoid clogging and street flooding. While city crews also perform this maintenance, they cannot visit all of our approximately 8,200 inlets each year.
More information on yard waste and recycling is available at our website, www.battlecreekmi.gov/recycling.