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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — The city of Sacramento issued guidance on the disposal of leaves as residents this year will have the new “organics” container during leaf season.

“Every year during Sacramento’s leaf season, which begins Nov. 1 and ends in late January, City residents can pile excess yard waste in the street for collection by ‘the Claw tractor,” the city said.

This year, however, residents will have the new organics container. Residents are strongly urged residents to fill up their “organics” container for weekly collection and then pile any leaves on top. 

The “organics” container can be used to collect food scraps and food-soiled paper along with leaves, branches, grass clippings and other organic yard waste.

“During the heaviest leaf drop, the weekly organics collection may occur two or three times between Claw pickups, so using organics containers to their full capacity each week is vital to help keep leaves off the street,” the city said.

According to the city, homes on public streets that are serviced by the City of Sacramento Recycling and Solid Waste Division will have leaf piles collected by the Claw. And there will be at least seven collections during the season.

To make sure a home will get the service, the city says to check the Collection Calendar to see if the home’s address appears. It’s advised to check the calendar often because schedules can change depending on the speed of collections. 

Residents should make the piles six feet away from anything that could obstruct collection, and the piles should not block water from reaching a storm drain. Bicycle lanes should also not be obstructed, and food waste or food-soiled paper should not be added to the pile.

As for the size of the piles, they should not be larger than 4 feet by 4 feet by 9 feet, and branches in the pile should not be longer than 3 feet in length and 4 inches in diameter.

Homes on a private street will not get leaf pile collections, but organics collection will still be done weekly. 

“Residents in apartment buildings of five units or more and commercial properties are not City customers and are not permitted to put out piles,” the city said. 

For more information, visit sacleafsmart.org.