Leaf and Brush Collection

Curbside brush pickup is suspended during leaf pickup season -- November and December -- and also in January and February.

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---  Recycle Coach
---  Leaf and Brush Collection
---  Bulk Waste
---  Additional Recycling Events
---  Project Medicine Drop

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--- Stormwater Resources
--- Report Road Salt Spillage

Leave the Leaves
Grasscycling

Clean Communities

Ewing Township just updated its rules for leaf, brush, and yard waste collection (see Ordinance 24-19), and it’s something we all need to be aware of. As September 8^th, the amended ordinance allows a scheduled period of loose leaf collection during the months of November and December to simplify and expedite the process of leaf collection for residents. Yard waste must be containerized for collection at the curb any time outside this scheduled collection window. November and December are a leaf only period and residents must comply with this policy to ensure the program’s success. Code violations may be issued for containerizing or co-mingling brush & yard waste with loose leaves. 

Brush, like branches and trimmings, can be placed at the curb March through October. These changes are all about keeping our storm drains clear, improving water quality, and staying in line with New Jersey's environmental protection laws.

This new rule regarding loose leaves replaces the old one from 2021 (Ordinance 21-08) that required everything to be bagged in biodegradable paper or put in containers all year round. The update is necessary because of State regulations, and it helps make sure Ewing is following the latest environmental guidelines. Let’s do our part to keep our community clean and green!

How this works

Pickup will be organized by specific zones throughout the township.

Not sure what zone you are in? 

Check this list for your section or review the map in the brochure on this page. In short, residents whose trash is picked up on Monday and Thursday are in Zone 1, and residents whose trash is picked up on Tuesday and Wednesday are in Zone 2. 

Private streets that do not receive leaf collection due to HOA responsibilities are highlighted in yellow.  The schedule will also be put into the Recycle Coach application. 

The Township leaf collection program uses a truck-mounted leaf vacuum or other designated system. The leaf vacuum will come by each house one time during your designated week, and not on a specific day.  PLEASE be reminded that once the leaf vacuum has passed your house, in order to keep to the schedule, the Township cannot accommodate requests for returns until the next scheduled pass. Cooperation from every resident is essential for the program’s success.

The Township is divided into two (2) leaf collection zones and will be picked up every other week in November and December, and as needed in October and January. Residents should expect five (5) separate collections during this period.  A schedule for collection for each zone will be advertised.  If you use a contractor, they need to be instructed on these guidelines or to take the leaves with them.  Please be aware and expect that since the pickup schedule is weather dependent it may require adjustments. The Department of Public Works will endeavor to give reasonable notice of any scheduled leaf collection changes.

Please follow these other guidelines, suggestions and tips to help us provide the best service possible:

• Loose leaves at the curb will be picked up 5 times during the November/December loose leaf pickup period and as needed in October and January.  Outside of that period, leaves will be picked up in biodegradable paper bags or in containers only. 
• For safety's sake, place your leaves in wind‑rows (long, narrow, neat piles) curbside by the starting dates for your area. This is the preferred way of placing your leaves for collection. Please also endeavor to keep leaves piled near the side. Leaf pile contents that blow and fall into the useable roadway impede traffic and are especially a hazard during wet weather.
• Residents should do their best to avoid placing leaves for curbside collection near parked vehicles, utility poles, mailboxes etc.  Materials placed too close to objects will disrupt the collection process. Most especially do not block sidewalks, fire hydrants or driveways.  
• Do not park vehicles in front of leaf wind‑rows. If we cannot reach your leaves, we cannot vacuum them!  
• LEAVES ONLY will be collected during the leaf collection period! No sticks, rocks, brush, trash, grass, or debris that will clog and damage the leaf vacuum should be included. These materials damage our vacuums creating equipment downtime which hampers our ability to keep to the schedule. If we find these materials in your leaves, your wind‑rows will be left and we will not return until the next pass. At the next pass, your wind‑rows will still need to be clear of these materials.  Compliance with these rules and regulations will ensure timely collections and prevent damage to the machinery.

To keep our storm drains clear, ensure better water quality, and to comply with NJDEP environmental protection guidelines, loose leaves will only be permitted at the curb during scheduled leaf pickup times.  During your off-collection weeks residents doing so will be subject to code violations.

Containerized collection shall only be allowed for leaves during non-leaf collection period.

This service is for Ewing residents only and no contractor may not place leaves in front of another property without permission from the property owner. 

No leaves originating outside of Ewing Township may be disposed of or placed along a street within the Township for pickup.

Leave Leaves in Your Yard

The Ewing Green Team encourages you to leave your leaves on your property to help create a healthy yard.  It is the easiest and most environmentally efficient way to manage your autumn leaf drop.  Leaves nourish the soil as they break down, support wildlife, conserve moisture and so much more.  To learn more check out our Leave the Leaves pages.

Curbside collections of brush ceases in the months of November and December to facilitate the leaf pickup. During these months the Township will enforce a “Leaves Only” policy for curbside collection. All brush and yard trimmings left at the curb will be reported to Code Enforcement. In the event of a large storm, the Township would provide curbside brush collection until storm damage has been cleared.

 The pickup schedule is always weather dependent and is normally the day after your garbage pick-up.  To keep our storm drains clear, ensure better water quality, and to comply with NJDEP environmental protection guidelines, please keep brush waste away from the storm drains!

• Brush shall not include whole trees, tree trunks or branches exceeding six inches diameter.
• Brush may be loose or containerized.
• Brush placed at the curb for collection shall be cut into no larger than four-foot lengths.
• Branches and limbs may be securely tied in bundles with a total weight not exceeding 50 pounds.
• This service is for Ewing residents only and no contractor may place brush in front of another property without permission from the property owner.
• No brush originating outside of Ewing Township may be disposed of or placed along a street within the Township for pickup.

One of the costliest items for the Township to dispose of is grass clippings. The tonnage that is landfilled each day and the resulting cost increase dramatically when grass is added to solid waste collection.  According to the Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station, during the maximum grass growing period, the municipal refuse load in some New Jersey suburban communities may contain nearly one-third grass clippings.¹  Ewing Township encourages every resident to use alternative disposal methods for grass clippings. These include composting and the use of mulching mowers. In most cases, lawn contractors will remove the clippings if requested.

Alternatively, residents may put grass clippings in bags for collection on their regular garbage day.  Please use this method of disposal only as a last resort.  If you must put grass clippings at the curb for collection, place the grass clippings in plastic bags in your garbage can. Your cooperation in packaging your clippings in smaller bags will make collection proceed more efficiently and safely.   Bags of grass left in the street can block heavy summer rains from reaching the storm drains and cause localized flooding of streets.

Did you know?

• Grass clippings are actually labeled solid waste since they compost differently than other organic waste.   They become anaerobic very quickly because of their high demand for oxygen. After becoming anaerobic they emit strongly unpleasant odors. Therefore, grass clippings (in quantity) are difficult to handle and to process.  Composting is not feasible because it requires specialized equipment and sites, separate permits from the DEP, and as it breaks down, any residue of pesticide and herbicides go almost directly into the storm sewers.  For these reasons no other Mercer County community provides grass clipping pickup other than as trash.

Therefore, we encourage you to leave your grass clippings on your lawn for a healthier lawn. For more information about this see our Grasscycling page.

• Do not include brush or tree trunks or branches with grass and/or solid waste.

Residents may obtain Biodegradable PAPER leaf bags from the Department of Public Works facility at 136 Scotch Road. (Call (609) 882-3382 for availability.)

1. Minimizing Waste Disposal: Grass Clippings (nj.gov)

Property owners who wish can continue to transport and dispose of leaves and yard waste collected on their properties at the Ewing Township Brush Drop Off Convenience Center now in its permanent location at located at 100 Beakes Street (access from Prospect Street to Dover Ave end of street).  Grass clippings are considered to be solid waste by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and should be bagged and discarded with your regular trash.

This convenience is for Ewing Township residents only.

Hours: 

• M-S: 7:30am - 2:30pm

Closings:

• Closed 11:30 - 12:30 for lunch.
• Closed periodically for mulching and cleanups. (look for website notices)