Leaves and Vegetative Yard Waste Guidelines

Leaves and Vegetative Yard Waste Guidelines

• Leaves and vegetative waste are placed in biodegradable paper bags - items may not be placed in rigid containers or plastic bags. 
• Please make sure bags are properly closed by folding over the top of the bags, ensuring contents are not exposed.
• Weather and equipment failures may cause a delay in the collection schedule; delays should not be more than 1 or 2 days.
• Bags must be 50 pounds or less - bags over 50 pounds will not be collected and Code Enforcement will be notified.
• Please do not place paper leaf bags outside during inclement weather. Wet bags will not be collected.
• See the reference image below: 

The following yard / vegetative waste can be included in these bags for collection. Please separate each category of items in their own bags (leaves in their own bag, grass clippings in their own bag, etc.). For any questions, please contact Department of Community Services at 973-509-5711

Leaves

• Collected on the regularly scheduled recycling day, during leaf collection season (April 1 - 30, and October 15 - December 1) 
• Contingent upon weather condition and may be suspended by DCS or the Township Manager.

Grass clippings

• Collected on regularly scheduled recycling day from May through mid-October. 

Branches

• Collected on regularly scheduled recycling day from May through mid-October
• Branches should be less than 3 inches in diameter, and cut into lengths of 36 inches or less. 
• Branches do not go into paper bags, and instead can be tied into bundles that weigh no more than 25 pounds each. Loose piles will not be collected. 
• Up to 3 bundles can be picked up per day. 

Wood chips, tree bark, acorns, miscellaneous nuts, and tree droppings

• Collected on your regularly scheduled recycling day May through mid-October. 
• Limited to two (2) bags per collection day. 

Christmas Trees

• Christmas trees placed at the curb will be picked up on a weekly basis during the entire month of January. 
• All decorations, lights, tinsel, etc. must be removed.
• Wreaths will be collected separately with refuse. 

The following vegetative waste is currently not recyclable, and residents must make their own arrangements for disposal: 

• Logs
• Firewood
• Stumps
• Soil
• Dirt, stones, concrete blocks, bricks. 

Learn more about Montclair’s Home Composting Program and how to better utilize your yard waste. By combining kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels with yard trimmings, you can create nutrient-rich compost that enriches soil and nourishes plants. Composters are sold through the township.

Contact the Office of Sustainability at 973-509-5721 for more information on how to purchase a composter and learn more about composting.