Separation of Yard Waste Begins April 1
Published on March 19, 2024
Beginning Monday, April 1, Lincoln garbage collectors will collect grass and leaves (yard waste), separately from household trash. State law requires that from April 1 through November 30, yard waste must be separated from other household waste. Tree trimmings, garden waste, and weeds may be included with regular household garbage.
Separate collection of grass and leaves is provided by local garbage collectors for a fee. Those who do not subscribe to the special collection have three options:
- Hire a lawn service to collect yard waste.
- Use a mower to mulch yard waste and leave the mulch on the yard to help add nutrients to the soil.
- Place only grass and leaves in paper yard waste bags and haul them to the North 48th Street Solid Waste Management Facility, 5101 North 48th St., to dispose of for a fee.
Residents who subscribe to separate yard waste collection must begin to separate yard waste from their household garbage after their last waste collection in March. Approved collection containers include paper yard waste bags available from retailers; 32-gallon containers with tight-fitting lids; or 95-gallon containers provided by garbage collectors. For more information about curbside collection, contact your garbage collector.
“Lincoln residents are playing an important role in the community’s sustainability when they separate their yard waste,” said Willa DiCostanzo, Waste Diversion Coordinator for Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Solid Waste Management Division. “The grass and leaves in your yard waste are processed into compost, called EarthFuel. To help reduce plastic pollution in the compost we produce, residents are reminded to remove litter from your yard before raking up your leaves and grass. It’s amazing how many tennis balls, dog toys, and litter that gets screened out of our compost. Picking these items up before you clean your yard can help keep our compost clean.”
The City inspects incoming yard waste loads at the composting facility. If garbage is found mixed with yard waste, the garbage collector may charge its customers additional fees.
For more information on how to compost at home, visit lincoln.ne.gov/compost. More information is also available by calling the Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Recycling Hotline at 402-441-8215.