Contact: Esther Bowring, 240-777-6530
Tom Orr, 240-777-7623 (ROAD)
For Immediate Release: December 20, 2001

County Vacuum Leaf Collection Completed

Residents in the county’s vacuum leaf collection area are asked to no longer rake leaves to the curb, as collection efforts have been completed for the year. Residents who may have already raked leaves to the curb that have not yet been collected are asked to contact the Division of Highway Services at 240-777-7623 (ROAD) before close of business December 26, 2001.

The vacuum leaf collection program operates in the lower third of the county, generally bounded by the City of Rockville, Northwest Branch Park, the Prince George’s County boundary, the District of Columbia boundary, and Interstate-270.

Residents in single-family homes with curbside yard trimmings collection service can still recycle their leaves by placing them at the curb on recycling day. Leaves must be set out in large brown paper bags or reusable trash cans labeled “Recycle.”

“I’d like to thank everyone who participated in the leaf vacuuming program for their cooperation,” said Tom Orr, acting division chief of Highway Services, with the County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation. “I’m proud to say the staff did a great job, completing this enormous task in a timely manner.”

Staff complete two collections each season, picking up leaves from 118,000 households, private roads and right-of-ways. This year, the vacuum collection service picked up over 160,000 cubic yards of leaves in just six and a half weeks, beginning on November 5 and ending on December 20. Staff worked six days a week for ten hours a day, using 350 people and nearly 120 trucks to complete the collections.

If residents would like to comment on their leaf vacuuming service, or if they would like more information, they can call 240-777-7623 (ROAD) or check the County’s website at http://publicworks.dpwt.com/vacuum.htm. For more information on setting out leaves for recycling pick-up, call 240-777-6410 or go to http://solidwaste.dpwt.com/.