By Marney Simon | Enterprise Staff
As the month of November kicks off, the area is prepping for snowfall in the near future. That means the time is now for residents to get their yards in order, before yard waste pickup ends.
Waste Management’s yard waste program is set to end in Plainfield the week of Nov. 26.
But, with many trees still flush with their colorful changing leaves, some residents are worried that the yard waste pickup program could end too soon, leaving homeowners left to store their yard waste over the winter months.
Former Plainfield Trustee and local resident Tom Ruane approached members of the village board during a special meeting on Oct. 29 to ask about the issue. Ruane said he and several of his neighbors were worried that the last pickup this month could leave homeowners stuck as winter approaches.
“I’ve been approached by quite a few neighbors… and they foresee this problem coming up,” Ruane told the board. “We all know that we’ve had a late autumn this year, and we have a lot of trees in the downtown area and many of them have barely started to drop leaves. We’re really concerned. Last year was kind of like that too.”
With just three weeks left on the waste pickup schedule, Ruane said he and neighbors were concerned that as many as half the village’s trees won’t shed all their foliage before the program goes away.
“It would cause a big concern for the remaining leaves, we were looking to see if there was any way to possibly extend the landscape pickup or create a special pickup, maybe by borrowing a leaf sucker from the township,” Ruane said, adding concern that the extra leaves could blow into or be raked into the streets, clogging up sewers. “I’m just asking if you could consider some options for people with mature trees.”
Village officials said they have been keeping an eye on the trees this fall, and couldn’t guarantee an extension, but would look into it. Meanwhile, officials reminded residents to put their lawn waste in bags on the curb.
“I’ll remind all of our residents, we don’t pick up leaves that are raked into the street or into the gutter, they need to be placed into [paper yard waste] bags,” said Village Administrator Brian Murphy. “We can check with Waste Management. I know last year it was a little too late in us checking with Waste Management to see if there could be a change in the contract.”
Brush, leaves, and grass clippings should be placed in paper yard waste bags or a Waste Management yard waste cart. Sod, trees, stumps, dirt, pavers, and mulch are not accepted as yard waste.
Yard waste collection will resume in April 2019.