Gastonia shoots for smooth leaf collection season
Michael Barrett Gazette staff @GazetteMike
Leaf collection season in Gastonia flows from the fall into the holiday season, though in past years, it's left local residents feeling far from thankful and jolly.
This time around, city leaders believe they have a firm handle on the process. But they're still asking for the public to keep some things in mind and help things continue running smoothly into the new year.
Gastonia vacuums piles of leaves from the curb from October through March. It uses its own solid waste crews to do it, which spreads resources thin and can make for a hectic fall and winter.
Homeowners are asked to place loose leaves at the edge of the curb, but not allow them onto the street or sidewalks, and definitely not in gutter lines near storm drains or ditches.
During the peak collection season of November through January, the city's goal is typically to collect leaves from every home at least twice each month.
In past years, seven vacuum trucks – three automated and four manually operated – were used to carry out the work. But this year, the city got a boost from purchasing and receiving an additional automated leaf collection truck in October, bringing its total number of the automated machines to four, said Gastonia Solid Waste Division Manager DeeDee Gillis.
"This will assist us in expediting our leaf collection," she said in an email.
Expect holiday delays
The city's leaf collection season is going well this year, but the process is also solely dependent upon the weather, Gillis said. As of the start of Thanksgiving week, there has been a delay in the leaves falling from the trees. That has put the city a couple of weeks behind compared to how quickly it began collecting the fallen foliage in past years, Gillis said.
"But this has assisted us in being able to keep up with collections on a daily basis," she said.
The city's solid waste crews normally get a little behind during the holidays, Gillis said. That's due not only to the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas themselves, but to the following business days, when the city must use all of its manpower to collect two days' worth of garbage.
"For instance, on Monday, Dec. 2, we will be collecting the Friday holiday garbage at the same time that we're collecting our regular Monday residents," said Gillis. "We will also be collecting yard waste, as that is the first week of the month.
"This will cause a delay in leaf collection."
The city is continuing to urge all residents to download its Wastewise social media app, or to go to cityofgastonia.com to sign up for it, using their home address and picking from the notifications of choice.
"As the city moves along and the leaf piles become large, we will be sending daily updates as to when leaf collection will take place," Gillis said.
In the meantime, here are a few other tips to keep in mind with respect to leaf collection:
• Put loose leaves in a pile at the curb, and never bag them
• If you use a tarpaulin to pull your leaves, remove it after they are at the curb
• No trash, litter or other debris should be mixed with the leaves
• Do not mix yard waste, such as twigs or branches, with the leaves
• Do not place leaves in the road, sidewalks or near storm drains
• Do not place leaves near flower beds that contain rocks, pebbles or other large objects
• Keep leaves away from your water or irrigation meter
You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or on Twitter @GazetteMike.
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