Yard Waste, Leaves, Food Scraps & Organic Materials

Collection Season

Yard waste, leaves, food scraps and organic materials are collected at the curb on your garbage day from the first full week of April through the second full week of December.

Bag/Container Requirements

  • You can use containers no larger than 35 gallons in size or biodegradable paper bags. 
  • Each container or biodegradable bag must weigh no more than 50 pounds 
  • Each container or biodegradable bag must have 1 yard waste/organics/garbage sticker attached in order to be collected. 
  • Leaves, yard waste, food scraps and organic materials use the same type of sticker. See the list of locations where you can purchase stickers.

Stacks for Brush/Tree Trimmings

If containers are not feasible for yard waste, you can place brush and tree trimmings in stacks at the curb. 

  • Stacks must be no longer than 4 feet in lengthand 18 inches in diameter. 
  • Stacks do not need to be bundled with twine. 
  • Each stack must have 1 yard waste/organics/garbage sticker attached.
  • Each stack must weigh less than 50 pounds.

Reminder: It is illegal to pile, blow or rake leaves onto the streets. Doing so can clog storm sewers, preventing them from working properly during a storm and possibly leading to flooding.

Items That CAN Be Included with Yard Waste/Organics Collection

Plants Foods Other Compostable Items
Floral trimmings Fruits & vegetables Napkins
Tree trimmings Meat & poultry Paper towels
Leaves Seafood & shellfish Paper plates
Grass Cheese Paper milk cartons
Brush Eggshells Tea bags
Weeds Bones Coffee grounds/filters
  Rice & pasta  
  Beans  
  Bread  
  Baked goods  
  Grains  

Items That CAN'T Be Included with Yard Waste/Organics Collection

DO NOT INCLUDE:  
Grease Aluminum foil
Cooking oil Liquids
Stickers on produce Hazardous waste
Any sort of plastic Cleaning supplies
Pizza boxes Rags
Polystyrene Wooden tools
Bottles Diapers or pet litter
Cans

If you have questions about what you can/can’t include with your yard waste, contact LRS at 773-685-8811.

Christmas Tree Recycling

The City's garbage/recycling hauler will pick up live Christmas trees for recycling at no charge and with no sticker needed during a two-week period the weeks of Dec. 29, 2025 and Jan. 5, 2026 on your reguar garbage day.

During this free collection period, place your tree at the curb, and make sure trees are free of all decorations and are not in plastic bags. After the collection period, you will need to attach 1 garbage/organic sticker to a Christmas tree to have it collected.