Waste Reduction & Recycling Division

Eco Tip

  • Keep you computer and monitor in sleep mode rather than leaving them on around the clock. You will use 80% less electricity, which over the course of a year will have the effect of cutting CO2 emissions by up to 1,250 pounds.
    (source: Consumer Reports)

Just for Kids

Just for Kids

Curbside Collection of Grass & Leaves

Three ways to handle your yard waste

If you do not mulch mow nor compost your yard trimmings at home, or simply have too much to manage, the City of Lawrence will pick them up on Monday mornings, March through mid-December (weather permitting). Materials should be set out by 6:00 Monday mornings in a can, cart (available for $2 a month, call 832-3032) or compostable yard waste bag.

Plastic bags may not be used to contain grass and leaves, per chapter 9 of the City Code. Note that grass and leaves are NOT collected with regular household trash when separate Monday collection is available.

Yard Trimmings Container Details

Cans

Give your trashcan double-duty! Fill the empty can with grass and leaves over the weekend, and use as your yard waste container for Monday collection. After Monday yard waste collection, use the can for your regular trash collection. Repeat.

Carts

No refuse containers should weigh more than 65 pounds each, unless it is a wheeled City cart. Wheeled carts may also be given double-duty as yard and trash container, just like a trash can. Rental of City carts is $2 per month and may be arranged by calling the Solid Waste Division at 832-3032.

Compostable Paper Yard Waste Bags

Compostable yard waste bags are strong, double-ply paper bags with a "wet strength" meant specifically for yard trimmings. They are usually 30 gallons capacity and sold in packs of five, available at local retailers.

Placing Woody debris at the curb

Small woody debris may be placed with Monday yard trimmings for composting. Please place in a preferred container (cans, carts or compostable bags), protruding no more than one foot above the container opening.

 

Holiday Schedule

Citywide yard trimmings collection is on Monday mornings, March through mid December. Set your grass, leaves, and other small yard trimmings out by 6:00 a.m.. Separate collection of yard trimmings in 2010 begins on Monday, March 1st, and will occur every Monday through December 20th, weather permitting, except on the following Mondays:

  • Monday, May 31- Memorial Day
  • Monday, July 5- Independence Day
  • Monday, August 2- Student Move-Out Day
  • Monday, September 6- Labor Day

Grass and leaves set out for the week of the above "holiday" Mondays will be collected with regular trash and sent to the landfill.


What Not to Collect

When collecting your yard trimmings for Mondays, be careful not to contaminate your them with inorganic debris or the herbicide ingredient Clopyralid (clo-PEER-a-lid), as your yard trimmings will be composted and then used by both the City and your fellow citizens (for distribution information, click here). Clopyralid is not like other herbicide ingredients in that it does not break down readily in compost. Thus it can persist in finished compost and may damage certain garden plants if contaminated compost is heavily applied. If using Clopyralid-containing products, please mulch-mow your clippings; do not set them out for Monday collection. For more information, please see our clopyralid brochure (PDF, 255K).