Yard Waste Collection

Quick Overview of Yard Waste Collection(PDF, 709KB)

Recycling yard waste is a win-win in Columbus. It saves the city landfill tipping fees and the collected yard waste is recycled into mulch and other landscaping products. See some tips below for easy ways to recycle your yard waste in Columbus.

Curbside yard waste collection is available for most Columbus residents. See the Collection Day Lookup page or call (614) 645-3111 to find out your yard-waste collection day.

What Yard Waste Can Be Recycled?

Most organic waste from residential lawns and gardens can be recycled including:

• Grass clippings (or, returning grass clippings to the yard keeps your grass healthy and saves space in the landfill)
• Leaves
• Twigs
• Branches less than four inches in diameter
• Shrubbery

Items that cannot easily be recycled and will not be collected with yard waste include:

• Rocks
• Dirt
• Sod
• Plastic bags
• Food waste (including decorative pumpkins, gourds, etc...)
• Actual fruits or vegetables from a garden (only stems, roots and leaves are recycled)

Please call Rumpke at 1 (888) 786-7531 if you have questions about what materials are acceptable.

Yard Waste Preparation

• Place yard waste in biodegradable (paper) bags or plastic or galvanized metal containers with handles that are marked no more than thirty-two (32) gallons in size and not more than fifty (50) pounds in weight marked "Yard Waste."
• Bags are generally available for purchase at home improvement or grocery retails stores.
• Plastic bags cannot be recycled with yard waste. Do not place waste in plastic bags or line the paper bags with plastic bags.
• Cut branches to less than four feet in length.
• Branches exceeding four inches in diameter cannot be recycled with yard waste and will not be collected.
• Tie the branches into bundles with string or twine.
• Each bundle should be less than two feet wide.
• Yard waste must be placed in front of your home at the curb, at least 3 feet from refuse and recycling containers, fire hydrants, mailboxes, or trees.

Yard Waste Facts

There is no restriction on the number of bags a household can put out for pickup.

• Each container, bag or bundle must weigh less than 50 pounds (Containers meeting this requirement will likely have a 30-35 gallon capacity).

Recycling yard waste saves tax dollars and is green:

• It saves tax dollars that would have otherwise been needed to dump yard waste at the landfill (Note: Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio regulations prohibit the City of Columbus or others from knowingly dumping yard waste at the Franklin County Landfill)
• Extends the life of the County landfill
• Increases weekly refuse container capacity for residents
• Recycled yard waste can be composted and used in home gardens and landscaping to beautify our homes and neighborhoods

Drop Off Your Yard Waste

City of Columbus residents may drop-off their yard waste free of charge at the following locations. Please call ahead for hours of operation.

Com-Til, the City's compost facility (no grass clippings):

• 7000 Jackson Pike, Columbus (614) 645-3152

Kurtz Bros. and Mulch Manufacturing Inc. (leaves, small branches, grass clippings):

• 711 Frank Road, Columbus (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 524-0495
• 6055-C Westerville Road, Westerville (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 882-0200
• 6279 Houchard Road, Dublin (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 873-2000
• 6747 Taylor Road S.W. (Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.); (614) 864-4004

Ohio Mulch: (grass, leaves, pruning and twigs less than ¼” inch in diameter)

Please Note: Homeowners are permitted to drop off yard waste for free if they meet the following requirements:

1. The homeowner is a resident of Franklin County and
2. The diameter of the material being brought dropped off is less than one-quarter (1/4) inch in diameter.

• 4120 Roberts Road, Columbus (Ohio Mulch); (614) 921-9330
• 4665 Westerville Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 891-3242
• Universal Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 445-4455
• 2541 Harrisburg Pike (Ohio Mulch) (614) 594-0270
• 537 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd (Ohio Mulch) (614) 863-0445

For questions or concerns regarding Ohio Mulch, go to www.ohiomulch.com.

Yard-Waste Recycling Tips

Returning grass clippings to the yard keeps your grass healthy and saves space in the landfill. In fact, grass clippings contain valuable nutrients that can generate up to 25 percent of your lawn's total fertilizer needs. Grass clippings do not contribute to thatch since grass clippings are 75 percent to 85 percent water and decompose readily.

Composting

Leaves, grass clippings, weeds, prunings, dead flowers and ash from burnt wood can be composted... not only to reduce yard waste, but to nourish your landscaping. Composted materials provide important nutrients for soil and plants.

Fruit and vegetables are not considered yard waste and should be put in with regular trash. Dirt, rocks and sod should be taken to a site seeking fill dirt.

Do Not Burn Yard Waste

Burning yard waste sends millions of spores aloft, causes breathing problems for many sensitive individuals and is prohibited by local ordinances.

Ohio Law further prohibits the burning of food wastes and other garbage. Also prohibited is the burning of any materials during an air pollution warning, as well as private burning of any items collected off-site. For example, a tree-trimming contractor may not haul branches and limbs to another site to burn.