Fall Leaf Collection

Beginning in 2024, the Village is modernizing its Fall Leaf Collection Program to improve safety, help the environment and provide residents with new choices for how to handle leaves.

The changes will address resident concern over the potential safety hazards created by leaf piles, streamline the leaf collection pickup process and reduce confusion over parking restrictions.

Oak Park’s annual fall leaf collection period typically runs from late October to early December. This year, residents will no longer place leaves directly into the street. Instead, they are able to choose from a variety of leaf collection options that will improve safety, sustainability and efficiency:

Leaf collection options for residents

Mulch the leaves:
- Mulch leaves with a mower and/or leave them on the lawn or in garden beds to promote soil health.
- This option offers an opportunity to support regional biodiversity, protect and provide food for birds, save money on fertilizers and allow leaf litter to decompose naturally. It also aligns with the Village’s Climate Ready Oak Park plan.
- Learn more about the benefits of leaving the leaves at www.oak-park.us/leafpledge.
Compost leaves:
- Residents who participate in the Village's CompostAble program can discard leaves in their 96-gallon gray organics cart along with food scraps and other yard waste throughout the year.
- Click here for more information and to sign up.
Place leaves in a bag or bin:
- Fallen leaves can be bagged in yard waste bags and/or rigid containers with a weight less than 50 pounds when filled.
- Bags and/or containers should be placed in the parkway as close to the curb as possible.
- Green yard waste stickers are not required during the six-week Fall Leaf Collection Program and residents may put out an unlimited number of bags and/or rigid containers in the parkway on their designated collection day.
- Leaves collected are sent to a compost facility.

New leaf collection process

Under the new system, the Village’s residential waste hauler, Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS), will have dedicated compost trucks and leaf crews that will collect bags and empty rigid landscape containers from the parkway according to the route and schedule set by Public Works staff.

A Village-wide make-up day is included in the weekly Fall Leaf Collection schedule to supplement areas with higher leaf volumes or to catch-up after inclement weather events.

More information, including the pickup schedule, will be shared on this page as it becomes available.

Leaf collection assistance

The Village currently has a Sidewalk Shoveling Program to assist income-eligible residents that physically cannot shovel show nor afford to hire a shoveling service. The shoveling contractor has agreed to expand the program to provide leaf services, as well.

The Village also plans to develop a community volunteer portal that will connect local volunteers with those in need, for both leaf and snow removal.

More information will be posted on this page as it becomes available.

Yard waste bag discount

Information about discount yard waste bag sales from local retailers will be posted here as it becomes available.

Community engagement opportunities

Village staff will be available to discuss changes to the Fall Leaf Collection Program at community events during the summer and fall.

Upcoming engagement opportunities:

Email publicworks@oak-park.us if you'd like to request a visit from Village staff to discuss changes to the Fall Leaf Collection Program at your upcoming block party or community event.

Frequently asked questions

Click here for answers to frequently asked questions.

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Fall Leaf Collection

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