Fort Collins community members and businesses have a variety of options for disposing of fallen leaves this time of year. Leaves can be recycled for a fee by local businesses, at the Timberline Recycling Center, or through the Larimer County Landfill Green Waste Program. Residential trash haulers also offer seasonal leaf and yard trimming collection through November for an additional fee. Contact your waste hauler for details.
Neighbors can connect through social media networks such as Nextdoor and Facebook to exchange leaves for composting and reuse. Reusing, recycling, and composting leaves helps the community’s zero-waste and climate action goals by keeping them out of landfills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Leaves should not be raked or blown onto the street where they can clog storm drains and burning organic debris and yard waste is prohibited. Smoke and odor generated from outdoor burning can have unintended negative impacts on those around us and affect some of the most sensitive populations such as the young, the elderly, and people with heart or lung conditions.
In March 2019, the City of Fort Collins Council adopted nuisance code language to address the health and nuisance impacts of wood smoke. Learn more about leaf disposal options at fcgov.com/recycling/leaf-recycling/.
Read about outdoor burning regulations at fcgov.com/airquality/outdoorburning/.