Each town handles its own leaf collection differently in Putnam County.
In Putnam Valley, Carmel and Patterson, leaves and small branches will only be collected if they are placed in biodegradable bags approved by the district, though other yard waste will not be collected.
The Town of Southeast has a similar policy, though they will conduct a curbside leaf collection program later this year at an undisclosed date.
Officials in Philipstown took a different approach to sustainable leaf collection this year. Residents have the option of leaving them in plastic bags that should not be tied off or right in the garbage bin itself. Highway Department crews will empty the bags or bin into their truck and leave the plastic bags behind for further use.
According to Kent Supervisor Maureen Fleming, leaf bag and brush pickup will continue on Fridays through Monday, Dec. 15. Homes within the Lake Carmel Sanitation District, whose homeowners pay an annual fee, receive leaf collection services.
In Westchester, as part of the county’s “Love ‘Em and Leave ‘Em” initiative, elected officials have been busy educating the public about the practice of “mulch mowing,” which provides a savings to municipalities while adding valuable nutrients to the soil by increasing water retention.
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