Weekly leaf and yard waste collection is ON

It’s that time of year again when leaf and yard waste is collected weekly! Starting today until Friday, Dec. 10, leaf and yard waste can be placed at the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before collection and no later than 7 a.m. on your regularly scheduled collection day. Visit vaughan.ca/WasteCalendar to view the collection schedule.

Materials can be placed out in Kraft paper bags or open-top rigid containers with handles, up to 121 litres (32 gallons) in size, and clearly marked “Leaf and Yard Waste.” Yard waste stickers can be mailed out by request through Access Vaughan by calling 905-832-2281 or emailing accessvaughan@vaughan.ca.

Kraft bags that are wet or weathered and are unable to contain the material during collection will be left behind for re-packaging and will be collected the following week.

Acceptable leaf and yard waste materials include:

• plant material (no soil) and leaves
• bundles less than 1.5 metres (five feet) in length and 0.6 metres (two feet) in diameter, weighing less than 20.5 kilograms (45 pounds)
• individual branches that are less than 10 centimetres (four inches) in diameter, bundled securely
• pumpkins, straw and cornstalks

Materials that do not belong in leaf and yard waste include:

• stumps and root balls
• any leaf and yard waste material contaminated with household waste or non-leaf and yard waste such as green bin organics
• sod, soil, rocks or stones

Collection times may change without notice. Sign up for the City’s Recycle Coach App through the Apple App Store or Google Play for a personalized collection schedule with optional alerts on what to put to the curb each week.

Visit vaughan.ca/waste for leaf and yard waste program details and requirements.

Preparing your garden and lawn for winter

The City of Vaughan encourages citizens and businesses to do their part to protect the environment. Mindful yard work in the fall will help save bees and other pollinators in the spring, which can positively benefit citizens and the environment both now and in the future.

Here are five things you can do to prep your gardens for the winter and save time and money in the spring:

1. Don’t churn your soil or garden beds. At the end of the season, when everything is dying, it might be tempting to rip gardens and plants out, churn or till the dirt, and put everything into your leaf and yard bags. By holding off, you’re saving your soil, little bugs and pollinators from being exposed to harsh winter conditions. Plants provide winter shelter for butterflies, moths, bees and other pollinating insects.
2. Drain your hoses and put them into storage. If you leave hoses out full of water, they will freeze and crack. Draining your hoses and turning off the outdoor water shut-off will save you from a surprising water bill in the spring. Plus, your hoses will last longer by giving them that extra care and placing them in storage for the winter.
3. Think about next season’s butterflies. Leave plants that stand up straight and seed heads alone, like sunflowers, thistles and blackberry lilies. These flowers are not only beautiful, but they also provide vital winter food for butterflies, as well as shelter to lay eggs. Birds also nest in these places over the winter.
4. Prune soft plants before the first frost. As a rule, if you don’t prune before the first frost, wait until spring to cut plants back. If you prune a plant right before cold weather, you can kill it or make it sick. When pruning, be sure to tightly bundle branches, twigs and cuttings for leaf and yard waste collection.
5. Start backyard composting to create rich compost for your garden. Food waste from your kitchen organics bin and coffee grinds make great at-home compost. Compost bins for backyard composting are available for purchase from the City for $22.50 plus tax through Service Vaughan.

Understanding and respecting the environmental impacts of leaf and yard waste collection affirms Vaughan’s commitment to environmental stewardship through protection and proactive environmental management, as outlined in the City’s 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan.

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