This story, written by Luisa Corporan Lara for Barrio Alegría, is part of a series designed to empower the community to take action in mitigating the impact of pollution and the misuse of natural resources. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
The season has arrived when nature changes its wardrobe and brings us a wind that blows away the leaves that once covered us with shade, becoming a carpet beneath our feet.
But these leaves, which for many are an adornment of nature and for others maybe a chore, also contribute to the environment. Leaves can be used as fertilizer for our gardens and nourish our soil, according to Public Works Sustainability Manager Bethany Ayers.
“In our city, leaves are not used as fertilizer for public gardens because we have a problem with plastic pollution, so the compost from the leaves is used as filler in construction and to cover landfills,” explained Ayers.
To avoid this contamination and make the most of the compost the leaves provide, Ayers recommended that residents separate the plastic from the leaves and place them in non-plastic brown bags.
Despite the ecological benefits of fall for soil nutrition, Bethany Ayers explained that one of the main challenges faced during this time is that “leaves can compact during storms, causing blockages or reducing infiltration. This happens during freezing rain or rain and snow events, where leaves can freeze and stick to sidewalks and storm drains.”
To avoid this problem, the Public Works Sustainability Manager recommended keeping leaves out of storm drains, raking leaves to the sidewalks for city pickup, or placing them in paper bags.
The city announced in a statement that curbside collection of loose leaves will begin this Monday, October 13th, and will end on December 5th, depending on the lack of leaf fall.
Public Works reported that the collection schedule for bagged leaves is as follows: In the Northeast Reading area Collection will take place on Mondays in the downtown area, the South Side, and Penn Street on Tuesday, while collection will take place in the Northeast, Riverdale, and Glenside areas on Wednesday.
The agency recommended that people check leaves before placing them in paper bags and ensure they are free of tree debris or any plastic waste that could harm the environment.
For daily progress reports or information on the leaf collection schedule, you can call the Streets Division at 610-655-6285.
