2024 Wasatch Front leaf collection begins
Oct 2, 2024, 4:00 PM | Updated: 8:10 pm
Red, yellow, and orange autumn leaves lie on the ground. (Canva)
(Canva)
SALT LAKE CITY — As leaves fall off trees, the Wasatch Front Waste Recycling District will begin collecting them.
Beginning on Wednesday, October 16, Wasatch Front leaf collection bags can be picked up at three locations:
- Cottonwood Heights City Hall
- Whitmore Library
- Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center
According to a press release, once filled, the bags can be dropped off in the bins at Bywater Park. They will not be collected from the curbside.
“Please do not dump garbage or other items at these or other locations, and do not put leaves and other yard waste in your recycle cans,” read the press release.
The Wasatch Front Waste Recycling District is asking that participants only take one roll of leaf collection bags for their household. Additionally, they request that residents don’t pick them up for others.
Composting autumn leaves
The press release said that people can take full bags from the leaf collection bins for their own compost piles.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, composting has many benefits.
For example, the process reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and keeps methane emissions down. Additionally, compost can enrich your garden’s soil, helping plants to thrive.
The EPA said that there are two options for at-home composting.
Utah State University’s Extension said that backyard composts require a spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day. Water should also be available, but it should be able to drain out.
The second option is worm composting. As the name suggests, it relies on worms to break down the organic matter that is introduced.
A successful compost needs both “brown” carbon-rich and “green” nitrogen-rich materials, as well as water and air.
For example, the EPA listed “green” materials as fruit and vegetable scraps and grass clippings. Examples of “brown” materials included dry leaves and shredded cardboard that is free of wax, tape, and glue.
The EPA website provides a full guide to composting.
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