What Edmontonians need to know yard-waste pickup this fall

A lab in a pile of autumn leaves. (File)

Edmonton residents will have two opportunities to get rid of yard waste this fall.

The city will have one yard waste collection day before Halloween and one after.

Collection will start on Oct. 2 and run until Nov. 27, depending on where you live in the city.

Dates for each neighbourhood can be found online.

Yard waste includes leaves, twigs, branches, dead plants, fallen fruit, grass, and other plant material from your garden.

Residents are asked to put out yard waste before 7 a.m. on collection day in a clear plastic or double-ply paper bag.

Sticks or branches over 0.3 metres, or one foot, should be bundled and set next to bags.

Bundles must be less than 1.2 metres long.

The city uses the yard waste to make high-quality compost.

"Yard waste isn't necessarily 'waste,'" Rodney Al of the City’s home compost programs said in a Tuesday news release. "When used properly, grass, leaves and other materials can make your yard and garden a beautiful, resilient environment."

Free compost is available at the Ambleside and Kennedale Eco Stations until Nov. 5.

Al says leaving some yard waste, such as leaves and grass clippings, on your lawn will result in them breaking down and providing your grass with nutrients.

Participating in an at-home option helps reduce the amount of waste being processed by the city.