Leaf Composting

Manchester operates a state of the art composting program. Leaves are prohibited by State law and local ordinance from going into the Landfill.

Several different leaf collection and disposal options are available to Manchester residents.

• Bagged Collection : Leaves can be put in paper bags and placed at the curb on your regularly scheduled refuse collection day. This service operates for 10 months of the year, beginning on the 3rd Monday in March and finishing on Friday of the 2nd full week the following January.
• Drop-Off: Leaves can also be dropped off at the leaf composting area at the Landfill (year round) or at sites designated by the Highway Division during the Fall. Leaves which are dropped off may be loose or in paper bags. NO PLASTIC BAGS - they cause contamination to the compost!
• Vacuum Collection : Leaves can also be raked to the curb and will be vacuum collected during the Fall Vacuum Leaf Collection program.  Each street is scheduled for collection ONCE during that period. If the weather is bad, collection is frequently delayed and may not be completed until the weather improves. The schedule for this collection can be found at http://publicworks.townofmanchester.org/LeafRoutes/LeafCollectionComplete.htm

Paper leaf bags (30 gallon size) are available for sale throughout the year:

Landfill Scale House (Landfill Way)

Senior Center (549 East Middle Turnpike)

Town Hall - Customer Service Center (41 Center Street).

Through the miracle of Mother Nature (and with a little help from the employees in the Sanitation Division), leaves are turned into rich, organic compost in as little as fourteen weeks. Compost is a great mulch for flower beds and gardens and can also be used as a soil amendment. Compost is available for sale at a modest price at the Landfill on Olcott Street. Give it a try in your garden. We know you will happy with the results.

Grass Clippings

Mulching Mowers are now widely available. These mowers have a special blade which re-cuts the clippings into tiny pieces which will decompose right in your lawn. This process helps to retain moisture in the lawn and return nutrients to the ground. These mowers reduce the need for fertilizers and watering, while saving you time which might have been spent raking and bagging the clippings.

Backyard composting is a good solution for grass. Home composting units are available from hardware stores, lawn and garden centers, and mail order catalogs or you can easily construct a unit yourself. Grass, garden and yard waste, and organic kitchen waste are all compostable in your own backyard. By next growing season, you will have your own source of compost for your gardens.

Garden Mulching is another good use for grass from your lawn. Placing a thin layer of mowed grass between the rows in you garden or around plants and shrubs will help to retain moisture, reduce fertilizer requirements, and reduce weeds.

When Spring arrives and lawn mowing begins, try some of these alternatives. They'll help your gardens and lawns.

Town of Manchester | Sanitation Division