Kearny, NJ – Beginning in the Fall of 2019, the Town of Kearny will make changes to the leaf collection program in accordance with stricter State regulations regarding the disposal of leaves. All residents should place their leaves in biodegradable leaf bags and place them at the curb for pickup by the Department of Public Works. Residents should no longer place leaves in the street on street sweeping day. There is also no longer a need to call to schedule a pickup of leaf bags, as they will be picked up from October 28, 2019 to December 27, 2019, in accordance with the following schedule:
Monday Zone 3 – Labeled Green on zoning map
Tuesday Zone 2 – Labeled Red on zoning map
Wednesday Zone 1 – Labeled Blue on zoning map
Thursday Zone 3 – Labeled Green on zoning map
Friday Zone 4 – Labeled Yellow on zoning map
A zone map is included below for reference.
To facilitate this transition, the Department of Public Works will be selling leaf bags this year at half price, 10 bags for $5.00. The DPW is located at 357 Bergen Avenue and is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM.
Please note, only leaves should be placed in leaf bags. Grass, twigs and any other yard waste is to be disposed of with your regular garbage pickup.
This change is being instituted due to the high number of mixed loads that the DPW brought to the recycling center during last year’s leaf collection season. Mixed loads are leaves mixed with trash from the street. The Town was charged a large surcharge for mixed loads. By asking residents to bag their leaves, we hope to cut down significantly the number of mixed loads we deliver to the recycler.
To reiterate, leaves should not be placed in the street going forward. Instead, they should be bagged and placed curbside. Bagged leaves should not be mixed with any other vegetative waste. If you are serviced by a private landscaper, please inform them that they will either have to bag the leaves and place them at the curb, or haul them away.
The Town of Kearny extends their gratitude and appreciation to Kearny residents for their anticipated cooperation as we institute this change in policy that will not only save taxpayers the burden of funding surcharges for mixed loads but also to recycle and properly dispose of leaves in effort to make our community cleaner and greener.
