FYI: Your annual incentive to clear those leaves (updated)

(Photo from seattle.gov)

Another fall tradition – keeping leaves from clogging storm drains. In November – which (in case you’ve lost track) starts tomorrow – Seattle Public Utilities allows customers to put out up to 10 additional bags of yard/food waste at no extra charge. (Monday update: We confirmed that this HAS changed from past years – it’s now 10 extra bags PER COLLECTION DAY.) The city sent this reminder:

Here are ways to manage fallen leaves:

1. Rake leaves and put them into your yard waste cart. If you have more than will fit into the cart, place extras in a compostable lawn and leaf bag or a reusable container with a lid. Put them out next to your yard waste container on collection day – no plastic bags.

2. Place raked leaves on bare soil as mulch in your landscape and garden. This conserves water, controls weeds and fertilizes the soil. Contact the Garden Hotline to learn more – 206-633-0224 or visit gardenhotline.org.

You’re also reminded that if you’re clearing storm drains, “stand on the curb, not in the street,” and leave the arterial drain clearing to the city – if it’s non-urgent, you can report it online; if it’s urgent – as in, a blocked drain causing flooding – call 206-386-1800.

Nw October 31, 2020 (12:36 pm)

I will try myself in my neighborhood because honestly it’s been on my mind and now in these time where it’s extremely tough economically and a frozen puddle of water surrounding a storm drain or down “stream” from one could cause a car accident. Try and be of service and I will also.

Ms. Cheebo October 31, 2020 (6:31 pm)

This sounds like you can put out 10 bags per collection day.

Free extra yard waste pickup in November

Extra yard waste fees are not charged in November, when customers are asked to keep fall leaves out of drains to reduce the risk of flooding. Households can put out up to 10 bags of extra yard waste per collection day for free from November 1 to 30.http://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/accounts-and-payments/rates/collection-and-disposal/food-and-yard-rates

WSB October 31, 2020 (7:03 pm)

They may have made a mistake – in writing both total AND per collection day
https://atyourservice.seattle.gov/2020/08/20/free-extra-yard-waste-pickup-in-november-2/
In the past, it’s been, 10 extra for the whole month (as recently as our 2019 mention). I will ask SPU on Monday to be sure. – TR
- Ms. Cheebo November 1, 2020 (2:07 pm)
  
  Thanks! I just cut down a large tree and did it this month to take advantage of the free extra yard waste pick up!
Chemist October 31, 2020 (8:08 pm)

The wording has been very unclear for years, tbh. I had a big hedge trimming project a few years back and the 10/pickup was why I chose to do it in November based on the SPU announcement wording. I ended up parsing it out in my regular 96 gal container over the month so I never did find out if it was /week or /month in SPU’s billing department.

https://atyourservice.seattle.gov/2017/10/18/storm-season-is-here-time-to-rake-your-drains/ no indication of per month

https://atyourservice.seattle.gov/2018/10/24/free-extra-yard-waste-collection-in-november/ does indicate 10 for the month

https://atyourservice.seattle.gov/2019/08/15/free-extra-yard-waste-pickup-in-november/ does indicate for the month

Dan October 31, 2020 (6:47 pm)

The most recent advice is not rake your leaves, except as you mention, around drain areas for water flow. The stories over the last year advise leaving them on the yard to fertilize the grass and plants and keep them out of landfills. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/10/05/raking-leaves-fall-stop-now-keep-leaves-lawn-mulch-them/3853468002/

WSB October 31, 2020 (7:07 pm)

I support that – we don’t have a lawn, but we leave a fair amount of leaves on the grassy planting strips and on the ground in our back yardlet – BUT if you read carefully, what that story is warning about is just putting them in the trash – they acknowledge some (like Seattle’s) go to a composting service and do NOT end up in a landfill. – TR