Leaf and Yard Waste Collection

For March through August information, see below

Fall Leaf Collection Program

In late September continuing through mid-December (contact township for specific dates), all leaf and yard waste must be separated from regular household refuse. Leaf and yard waste includes leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, tree trimmings, shrubbery, and other similar garden residue.

All materials must be placed in approved biodegradable paper bags or bundled and placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on the morning of your regular collection day. Fifteen (15) bags of leaves will be collected on a weekly basis. To the extent that additional bags are placed at the curbside for collection, the Township will make reasonable efforts to remove them in a timely manner. Bags must not exceed 50 pounds in weight. Tree trimmings must be cut and bundled into three foot lengths not to exceed 25 pounds.

Biodegradable leaf bags can be purchased at the Flourtown Acme and Genuardi's Supermarkets, Oreland Hardware and Wyndmoor Supply stores.

Monthly Yard Waste program

Residents are reminded that from March through August of each year, Springfield Township will conduct a monthly drop off collection for yard waste materials. Yard waste can be dropped off at the Township garage (behind the Township building, on the last Saturday of the month from March through August, inclusive, between 7:30am and 11:30am. Yard waste must be free of all refuse, and prepared in the same manner as residents would prepare leaf and yard waste during the Fall Leaf Collection program. Dropoff location is behind the Township Building. Contact the township to verify dates and times.

Why Don't We Vacuum Leaves from the Curbside?

Information provided by township staff

Anticipated costs and issues associated with collecting leaves that have been permitted to be deposited in the street by residents and their landscapers for collection by the Township:

We would need to purchase additional equipment: Four 25-yard trailer-mounted leaf vacuums @ $30,000 / unit	$120,000
8 additional employees (seasonal)	$72,600
Purchase new vacuum street sweeper (current sweeper is 12 years old)	$146,000
Continue with biodegradable leaf bag collection (10 weeks)	$30,000
Three-man crew to run leaf composting facility a minimum of 20 weeks. This would only allow 3 full time employees for all other work during leaf collection season to do all sewer, refuse and recycling work, as well as to fill in when employees call in sick, are on vacation or personal time, or injured on the job.	$57,660
Subtotal	520,260
Additional leaf disposal area (7-10 acres required)	$5M-$10M
Grand Total	$5,520,260 to $10,520,260

Even if all of the mentioned items were addressed, the issue of allowing leaves to be dumped into public streets opens up a myriad of problems, such as:

1. Flooding caused by covered and clogged storm sewer inlets and pipes.
2. Vehicle fires caused by vehicles with hot catalytic converters parking on top of leaves.
3. Limited traffic flows caused by large leaf piles in public streets.
4. Safety — the potential of children getting hit by vehicles because of children playing and hiding in leaf piles along the street.
5. Branches and sticks can damage the machinery, taking it offline and causing additional costs
6. When an early season snowfall occurs, the snow along with the leaves has to be plowed back onto properties (causing irate citizens). When leaves become saturated, the collection process slows down, and sometimes the leaf collection is delayed until Spring, as frozen leaves cannot be vacuumed up.

Neighboring townships that do vacuum strongly recommended that we not change to that method.