Published: 11/1/2022 8:15:34 PM
The annual process where Concord public works crews go out and vaporize piles of leaves from the curb has begun and residents usually have one big question in mind – when will they be on my street?
Well, first a clarification: they don’t really vaporize the leaves, they use a big machine that looks like a giant snowblower to suck them up and toss them into the back of a truck. It’s serious business. Last year the city collected more than 850 tons of leaves that are deposited at farms and recycling centers to be composed and turned into soil.
Now to the part about tracking down the crews to make sure they don’t miss your leaves: Three Concord General Service crews began collecting leaves in different residential areas of the city on Monday. Their progress is dependent on the weather and could be stalled due to snow.
That’s why the city urges residents to avoid waiting to rake leaves until the day before they think crews may arrive.
“Due to leaf volumes and weather conditions, it’s unknown when crews will reach certain locations,” according to a city news release. “Residents are encouraged to have their leaves ready for collection at the start of the program so as not to miss collection.”
Crew one began at the Bow town line and works north, while crew two started at Blossom Hill cemetery and works north toward Penacook. Crew three started on Mountain Road near Fairview Drive and works south along the east side of the Merrimack River.
For those who are interested in seeing the city’s progress, a searchable map shows where each crew has already been.
One predictable location is the area surrounding Concord High School. Those leaves will be picked up on Veterans Day in coordination with the school’s closure to minimize public disturbance.
Crews pass homes only once and will not return to areas they’ve already been.
If crews missed your leaves, don’t fret. You can still get rid of them through the city’s bagged leaf collection program that starts on Nov. 21. Residents are asked to put bags of leaves at the curb by 7 a.m. for pickup on Monday, Nov. 21, Nov. 28, and Dec. 5.
Anyone outside of Concord should check their town website to find out where to dump leaves or just move them into the woods on their own property.