Concord’s Fall Leaf Collection is about to start with bulk leaf collection beginning on Monday, October 30th, and bagged leaf collection beginning on November 20th.

Residents who wish to participate in the City’s bulk leaf collection must rake leaves to the curb for a single collection. Concord General Services crews will gather leaves as the weather permits in various locations of the city, with a concentration on residential areas inside the City’s drainage system.

Schedule

Crew one will begin at Blossom Hill Cemetery and work south; crew two will begin on Elm Street in Penacook and work south; and crew three will begin on Manchester Street and move north along the east bank of the Merrimack River.

It is unknown when employees will reach specific neighborhoods for pickup due to variable leaf amounts at the curb and weather conditions. Residents are asked to have their leaves available at the start of the program in order to avoid missing out on collection. Crews can only visit locations once and will not be able to return to previously collected areas.

The only planned collection is for residents near Concord High School, which occurs each year on the acknowledged Veterans Day holiday in accordance with the school closure to minimize public disturbance and in consideration of public safety. The City’s website has a map showing the region scheduled for bulk collection on Friday, November 10 (observed).

For bulk collection, trackless leaf loaders will be employed, requiring residents to rake leaves all the way into the roadway in order for them to be collected. Residents are warned not to pile leaves or position them near impediments such as mailboxes, signs, or poles. To keep streets and sidewalks clear, the City suggests keeping leaves in a neat windrow along the curb, sidewalk, or pavement edge. To avoid blocking access to leaves, please refrain from parking on the street from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The harvesting of bulk leaves is weather-dependent. Weather changes and the arrival of snow may cause collection to be halted. Residents are encouraged to participate in the City’s bagged leaf collection in order to ensure leaf collection, particularly as the weather changes.

Residents

Residents with curbside trash collection will have access to bagged leaf collection for three weeks. Leaves must be left at the curb by 7:00 a.m. each Monday, regardless of a resident’s garbage day, in biodegradable yard waste bags or rigid containers labeled for leaves. In the spring, bagged leaf collection may not match with garbage collection. Leaves will be collected separately from trash and may be collected before or after a specified trash day. Bags should be placed at the curb by November 20, November 27, and December 4 for weekly collection.

Although bagged leaf collection is not weather-dependent like bulk collection, householders are asked to bag leaves ahead of any expected snow storms to avoid snow cover. The City implemented the bagged leaf program in 2018 to give a more predictable choice for leaf pickup. This program offers three chances for a guaranteed collection.

Mulching leaves into the grass, transporting them to a locally accepted farm, or dropping them off at Gelinas Excavation & Earth Materials Recycling Center (free with verification of Concord/Penacook residency) are all options for leaf disposal Brushes, branches, and limbs are not eligible items for the City’s leaf collection, but they can be dropped off separately for a fee at Gelinas Excavation & Earth Items Recycling Center.

Gelinas Excavation & Earth Materials Recycling Center is located at 10 Intervale Road, off Fort Eddy Road, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday hours will be available on November 4, November 11, November 18, and December 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Due to the Thanksgiving Day holiday, no Saturday hours will be on November 25. Hours are subject to change depending on the weather and should be confirmed by calling ahead of time.

Maps of crew routes

More information frequently asked questions, and maps of crew routes and completed collection areas can be found at www.concordnh.gov/leafcollection 

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