Mayor Bowser and Department of Public Works Kick Off Back to Basics Week, Highlighting Leaf Collection Season and Food Waste Reduction Programs

(Washington, DC) - Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Department of Public Works (DPW) kicked off Back to Basics Week by launching the 2024-2025 Leaf Collection season, starting today and running through February 8. Officials also reminded residents to turn their discarded pumpkins and gourds into compost by taking them to any of the District's food waste drop-off locations.
"DPW's leaf collection program is one of many ways we work together as a community to keep our streets and neighbors safe throughout the fall and winter," said Mayor Bowser. "Leaf collection is a collaborative process that requires residents to prepare the way for our workers, and I appreciate the collective effort we put in to keeping our city safe, clean, and accessible."  
This year's program will follow last year's model, providing weekly updates on crew locations online instead of mailing out a seasonal raking schedule.
Residents can find weekly leaf collection updates every Friday through DPW's online leaf tracker at dpw.dc.gov/leaf or by calling the DPW Leaf Line at (202) 671-LEAF (5323). The tracker will be updated every Friday with more precise information on scheduled collection.

In addition to the trackers, leaf collection teams will distribute door hangers in advance to alert residents that they are entering their two-week collection window. Residents should rake leaves to the curb or tree box in front of their home the weekend before their scheduled collection week. On collection days, residents should avoid parking along curb lanes to ensure efficient leaf vacuuming. Leaf collections will occur twice in each neighborhood for residents who receive DPW trash and recycling services.

Leaf Season Collection Tips for Preparing Leaves for the Leaf Vacuum

• Check the tracker at dpw.dc.gov/leaf to learn which section you live in and whether it is up next for leaf collection.
• Move vehicles from curb lanes to help ease the leaf vacuum collection process.
• Rake leaves to the curbside or tree box at the front of the residence the Sunday before the scheduled leaf collection date.
• Remove all cans, bottles, sticks, toys, and debris from your piles of leaves. These items can damage equipment and prevent safe and proper collection.
• Download the MyDPW app to receive customized alerts about leaf collection in your neighborhood.
• Leaves placed in plastic bags will be collected as trash and not recycled.
• District residents can also bring leaves contained in paper bags to the Fort Totten Transfer Station located at 4900 John McCormack Drive NE, open Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• When snow, freezing rain, or ice are forecast, the District Snow Team mobilizes to pre-treat our streets, then spread salt as needed. This may require switching DPW equipment and crews from leaf collection duties to snow duties, which may unfortunately cause leaf collection delays.
• Leaves will not be collected on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Residents should look out for the weekly messaging on when to rake out leaves during holiday weeks.
• Residents whose leaves have not been collected on their street five business days after DPW has announced collection has started in the next section should call 311 or (202) 737- 4404 or visit 311.dc.gov to open a "Leaf Collection Missed" service request.

The District's leaf collection program is a large part of the city's sustainability efforts. Leaves collected during the season are composted at a nearby facility. The city also offers a Food Waste Drop-Off program, with 13 DPW-managed locations across all eight wards where residents can drop off food scraps for composting.
"Last year was a game-changer for the leaf collection program," said DPW Director Timothy Spriggs. "With more resources and fewer weather interruptions, we experienced fewer delays and could notify residents more accurately. This fall season, as we keep nearly 3 million pounds of food waste out of the trash through our collection initiatives, we're also reminding everyone to make the most of food waste drop-off sites to help reach our zero-waste goal of diverting 80 percent of waste from landfills by 2040."

District residents are encouraged to reduce the food waste going into their household trash this holiday season by taking their pumpkins, gourds, and other food scraps to one of the following Food Waste Drop-Off sites, where they will be composted at a nearby facility. Please note that pumpkins decorated with paint, glitter, or other inorganic matter cannot be composted.

Pumpkin and Food Waste Drop-Off Sites
Ward 1

• Columbia Heights Farmers Market (14th and Kenyon Streets NW, open year-round on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
• Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market (3200 Mt. Pleasant Street NW, open year-round on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

Ward 2

• DuPont Circle Farmers Market (1500 20th Street NW, open year-round on Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
• George Washington University - Kogan Plaza (2121 H St NW, accessible 24/7 with the MetroKey app, click here to download the app.)

Ward 3

• University of District of Columbia Farmers Market (4340 Connecticut Avenue NW, open seasonally on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
• Palisades Farmers Market (48th Place NW & MacArthur Blvd NW, open year-round on Sundays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
• Cleveland Park Farmers Market (3426 Connecticut Avenue NW, open seasonally on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

Ward 4

• Uptown Farmers Market (14th and Kennedy Streets NW, open seasonally on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

Ward 5

• Monroe Street Market (716 Monroe Street NE, open seasonally on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

Ward 6

• Eastern Market (in front of Rumsey Pool, 635 North Carolina Avenue SE, open year-round on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
• SW Farmers Market (425 M Street SW, open year-round on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

Ward 7

• First Baptist Church of Deanwood - Outreach Center (4408 Sheriff Road NE, open year-round on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

Ward 8

• Sycamore & Oak (1110 Oak Drive SE, open year-round on Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.)

For more information about DPW's Food Waste Drop-Off program, visit zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.

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