© Tabi Walters

Autumn Leaves

Less pickup means more compost piles

by Peggy Page

posted 11/18/2012

"A much larger percentage of people are composting their leaves," says Tom McMurtrie, the city's solid waste coordinator. Two years ago, the city stopped collecting leaves swept into the street; though it still picks them up if they're placed in compost bags or curb carts, the volume of yard waste collected has since declined precipitously, falling from 4,634 tons in 2009--the last year of street collection--to 2,961 in 2010, and 2,932 in 2011.

Apparently, many Ann Arborites heeded the city's advice and started their own compost piles. "It's working very well, and we're saving money, more than $100,000 a year, by doing this," McMurtrie says. Still, not every citizen is a fan, he admits. "The people who complain have [house] lots that get a lot of fallen leaves, and it is a little more challenging for them to bag the leaves or cart them to the curb."

December 7 is the last scheduled date for compost pickup this season, but, McMurtrie says, "There is natural variation from year to year when the leaves fall. If we need to extend collection of compostables, we'll announce it on the city website," a2gov.org. ;  

[Originally published in November, 2012.]