Milwaukee Leaf Pickup Starts October 1

City of Milwaukee residents may rake leaves into the street from October 1 through November 15 for pickup by Department of Public Works Sanitation crews. After November 15, leaves can be taken to one of the City's Self-Help Centers. City crews will wrap up leaf collection efforts on December 9.

Residents are asked to rake their leaves into the curb lanes for collection. After November 15, Sanitation crews will still pick up remaining leaf piles as long as weather permits.

Sanitation Services offers these tips for successful leaf collections:

• Do not put leaves in plastic bags - empty them into the curb lane. Leaves are composted but plastic bags do not decompose
• Put Halloween pumpkins in your garbage cart or on a compost pile, not on leaf piles in the street
• Please keep debris, such as flowers and vegetable plants, on top of your leaf piles at the curb
• Do not put brush in the leaf piles.
• Keep piles away from sewer grates
• Keep debris away from storm drains in the street
• Large amounts of branches should be piled away from overhanging trees