Fall is officially here, and while a short window remains to catch the fall color changes throughout the state, it also means that the yearly cleanup of fallen and dead leaves in your own yard is quickly approaching.

But you may be asking yourself one question:

Where should Denver area residents dispose of their raked leaves?

Several municipalities throughout the Denver Metro Area are making things easier for their residents, providing programs and resources to dispose of those fall leaves. We’ve compiled a list of a few examples throughout the metro area:

Arvada

The City of Arvada is holding community-wide leaf drop off events throughout the month of November.

Dates and Times:

• Saturdays — November 4, 11 and 18, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Monday through Friday, November 6-17 from 9 am to 2 pm (Stenger only)

Locations:

• Stenger Sports Complex — 11200 W. 58th Ave., Arvada, 80002

• Permagreen Organics Company — 5520 Harlan St., Arvada, 80002 (Saturdays only)

For complete details, visit the website.

Aurora

The City of Aurora does not list a specific fall leaf collection program, but offers this guide on their website regarding organics and yard waste, including options on how to contact waste management for recycling.

Commerce City

Commerce City offers four green waste drop-off events per year, including two dates in the fall.

Residents can dispose of compostable yard waste (i.e. grass clippings, leaves, tree limbs and other plant debris) at these free events held four times per year. Collected green waste goes to a composting facility instead of the landfill. Proof of residency required, no businesses or contractors allowed.

Location: A1 Organics Commerce City, 9109 Monaco St., Henderson, 80640

Green Waste Drop is located west of Brown Brothers off of Monaco Street.

The remaining green waste dropoff dates for fall are:

• Saturday, October 14 from 8 a.m.1 p.m.

• Saturday, November 4 from 8 a.m.1 p.m.

Centennial

Trash and recycling services are not provided by the City of Centennial, but instead are provided by private companies, with each provider operating on their own pick up schedule. Some HOAs throughout the City have contracted with one trash provider in an effort to receive favorable rates and reduce truck traffic in neighborhoods.

If you are interested in organizing one trash provider for your neighborhood, look at the Neighborhood Trash Collection Toolkit for insight into the process, a survey for neighbors and tips for creating proposals for potential vendors.

Denver

LeafDrop is a seasonal program offered by the City and County of Denver that turns leaves into compost.

The following LeafDrop locations will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays from Oct. 10 through Dec. 2:

• Cherry Creek Transfer Station – 7301 E. Jewell Ave. (enter on E. Jewell Ave.)

• Havana Nursery — 10450 Smith Road (enter on Smith Road)

• Central Platte Campus — 1271 W. Bayaud Ave. (next to the Denver Animal Shelter)

The following LeafDrop locations will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays:

• Bruce Randolph High School — E. 40th Avenue and Steele Street

• Cherry Creek Transfer Station — 7301 E. Jewell Ave. (enter on E. Jewell Ave.)

• Kennedy High School — Newland Street and Brown Place.

• Sloan’s Lake Northwest Parking Lot — West Byron Place and Yates Street.

• Veterans Park — South Vine Street and East Iowa Avenue.

The Cherry Creek Transfer Station is the only site accepting loose leaves. Leaves brought to all other LeafDrop sites must be in paper bags.

Residents can download a coupon for a free five-pack of paper leaf bags at participating Ace Hardware stores. Compost customers can to put leaves and other yard debris in their green carts.

For complete information on this program, visit the website.

Englewood and Littleton

The cities of Englewood and Littleton previously partnered on a leaf recycling program in 2022, but according to all available information, that program has ended.

The City of Littleton recommends recycling leaves at A1- Organics, which will still accept leaves for $12 per cubic yard. They are open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and are located at 2300 W. Radcliff Ave., Englewood, 80110.

Greenwood Village

Greenwood Village hosted leaf disposal events in previous years, but no event is scheduled on this year’s community calendar. Greenwood Village works with private company Waste Connections for its trash collection.

Highlands Ranch

Highlands Ranch does not offer any leaf collection events. Like Centennial, trash & recycling services are provided by private companies.

Lakewood

Lakewood is introducing a new leaf recycling event as a part of an initiative to support residents’ fall cleanup and spread awareness about the proper disposal of leaves. The free leaf drop-off will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 4 to Nov. 11, daily at the city Greenhouse, 9556 W. Yale Ave. Staff will be available to assist residents on Saturday Nov. 4 and 11 only.

The leaves will be recycled into compost, mulch and other recycled landscape materials. This event is for leaves only; branches, woody brush or tree stumps will not be accepted. All leaves must be emptied on the pile, and no bags, even if they are compostable bags, can be accepted. Proof of residency may be required.

For more information, call 720-9635240 or visit Lakewood.org/LeafRecycling.

Thornton

The City of Thornton offers the following options for fall leaf disposal:

Fall Leaf Drop-offs

Dates: Saturday, Oct. 28 and Nov. 4

Time: 8 a.m. — noon

Location: Thornton’s Infrastructure Maintenance Center (IMC), 12450 Washington St., Thornton, 80241. Use the north entrance, accessed from 126th Avenue, east of Washington Street.

Guidelines: Thornton residents may bring in leaves for composting. Proof of residency is required. Residents are responsible for unloading all compost material. Leaves and compost material must be placed in BPI-certified fully compostable bags or paper sacks or be prepared to open all other bags on site. NO commercial or landscaping companies.

Fall Leaf Customer Curbside Collection

Dates: Regular trash collection days, October 16 — November 10

Guidelines: City trash/recycling customers only may place bagged leaves at the curb for pickup on their regular collection day. Please fill black containers before leaving bags on the curb. Bags filled with household trash or debris that are left outside the container will not be collected at this time. Restrictions apply.

Westminster

Westminster residents can recycle bags of leaves and pumpkins from from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 11 at 10001 Alkire St. Please bring leaves in bags. Residents must empty plastic bags, and compostable bags or paper bags can be put in the bin, as is. Staff are on-site to facilitate the event. No other debris is accepted in the leaf recycling bins.

Pumpkins must be free of paint and decorations including candles.

Please remember that branches are not allowed in the leaf pile and can be dropped off in the limb pile only.

Wheat Ridge

The City has partnered with Denver metro composting program, Scraps, to start a compost drop off program for Wheat Ridge residents. All members will be able to drop off an unlimited amount of compost in the bin at any time of day and members can purchase finished compost from Scraps each spring.

The drop off bins are located at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center and the Wheat Ridge City Hall. The first 100 Wheat Ridge members will receive the first two months free with the purchase of a starter kit. Wheat Ridge residents can sign up at this link.

When is the best time of day to use my leaf blower?

If you are looking to use power tools to gather your leaves, such as a leaf blower, please pay attention to your local statutes regarding noise. For example, Denver’s noise ordinance restricts the use of “lawn mowers, leaf blowers, etc.” above 55 decibels to dayside hours between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) recommends restricting the use of gas powered equipment on Ozone Action Days and generally recommends the use of electric lawn equipment.

Most metro area municipalities prohibit sweeping or blowing leaves into the streets and storm gutters. Check your local municipal codes regarding what is prohibited regarding waste disposal.