Lexington residents have multiple ways to dispose of leaves this Fall. 

Again this year, the City will offer expanded weekly collection instead of a once-a-year vacuum approach.

Options include:

 

  1. Keep them. It’s free fertilizer. Mow leaves back into your lawn. Mow regularly, especially if the leaves are wet. You might need to make a couple of passes to break down leaves into dime-sized pieces. You do not need a special mower to mulch your leaves. Leaves are also an option for backyard composting.

 

  1. Let the City pick up. If you have city waste service, crews will pick up yard waste each week on your regular collection day. The collected material will be turned into mulch. First, fill your gray yard cart (the Lenny). Once the cart is full, use yard waste bags. Only use paper yard waste bags as material in plastic bags will be taken to the landfill.

Yard waste bags may be picked up by a different crew than those servicing carts. Crews will collect daily until 5:30 p.m. Missed yard waste will be collected the next makeup day (Wednesday or Saturday). Please do not contact LexCall regarding missed service until after 5:30 p.m. on your scheduled service day.

If you don’t have a Lenny or need a new one, call LexCall at 311 or submit a request online.

 

  1. Bring the leaves to the City mulching facility. Through December 2023, Fayette County residents can take yard waste to the Haley Pike Waste Management Facility (HPWMF) for free. Proof of residency is required. The facility, located at 4216 Hedger Lane, is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. HPWMF is closed on Wednesdays. 

 

The City has a limited supply of free leaf chutes available to help funnel leaves into your cart or yard bags. There is a limit of one chute per household. While supplies last, you can pick up a leaf chute from:

  • The City’s Electronics Recycling Center, 1306 Versailles Road
  • The Lexington Senior Center, 195 Life Lane
  • Johns Run/Walk Shop – Palomar, 3735 Palomar Centre

Never dispose of leaves or other yard waste by putting them in the street. That can clog storm drains and cause flooding. It can also overwhelm local creeks with nutrients, causing water quality issues.

 

Holiday Trash Schedule 

There will be no trash pick up on Veterans Day Friday Nov 10. The makeup day will be two days before on Wed Nov 8. 

There will be no trash pickup on Thanksgiving Day Thursday Nov 23 and no trash pickup on Thanksgiving Friday Nov 24. The makeup day is the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday Nov 22.


This article appears on pages 20-21 of the November 2023 issue of HJ. To subscribe to digital delivery each month, click here.