What to do with the leaves piling up in your yard
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Before you think about discarding leaves into a ditch or ravine near your home, consider this: while leaves are organic, discarding leaves and other yard waste in natural areas is a form of illegal dumping and can lead to several issues, including:
- leaves can carry seeds and spores that can facilitate the spread of invasive species
- piles of leaves can attract unwanted pests and insects
- the added weight of decomposing leaves can lead to erosion and potential property damage
Instead, handle your fall yard waste with care by backyard composting or collecting and setting it out for pick up on collection day.
Backyard composting
Backyard composting is a simple, inexpensive way to fertilize your garden, reduce waste and benefit the environment by closing the loop on your home’s organic waste. Leaves, twigs and grass are “brown” material that you can add to your “green” material (kitchen scraps) in your composter.
The Township has affordable composting tools available for residents to purchase.
- Backyard Composter (300 litre) with thermometer - $25
- Kitchen Catcher – $5
- Wing Digger Aerator - $15
Learn more about composting and how to purchase these products at tol.ca/composting
Green Cart
If you receive municipal collection, the Township offers unlimited organic waste collection. Any leaves or branches collected around your property can be placed in your Green Cart for collection. If your cart is full, feel free to set out any of the following next to your cart on collection day.
- Additional 80L cans marked with a GreenCan decal. Decals are available for free at all Township facilities.
- Paper yard trimmings bags
- Bundles of branches, tied securely with string or twine (no plastic, wire, nylon rope, or plastic strapping). Each bundle must be no larger than 1 m (3 ft) long and 0.5 m (1.5 ft), with individual branches no larger than 7.5 cm (3”) in diameter.
In fall, collection times may extend into the evening due to increased volumes of leaves and yard waste. This may also affect garbage collection, as trucks may drop off organics before picking up garbage. Before reporting a missed pick-up, please check if other homes on your street have been serviced. If you are the only home that hasn’t been collected, please report a missed pick up by calling 604-530-3939.
Learn more at tol.ca/greencart.
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