Residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, should brace for some noise starting Monday 鈥� leaf vacuuming is going to start.
In a , the Montgomery County Department of Transportation said leaves will get vacuumed up starting Monday, with two collections taking place on each leaf collection district street.
Each district is bounded by I-495; I-270; the Rockville City limits; Norbeck, Bel Pre and Bonifant roads; Northwest Branch Park; and the D.C. and Prince George鈥檚 County lines.
“This is an environmentally friendly and sustainable composting program that keeps fall leaves out of our storm drains,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement. “This valuable service helps our neighborhoods and provides a great product.”
The county asks residents to pile leaves near the street, but off the road, and also off road shoulders, bike lanes and rain gardens because it could disrupt traffic, block drainage and cause other issues.
鈥淟ast leafing season, crews collected 97,000 cubic yards of leaves,鈥� said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. 鈥淭he leaves are collected and stored for a year, then mulched and composted at a聽local facility and sold as Leafgro. This popular fertilizer is sold in area hardware and lawncare stores. Profits generated by these sales go back into the leafing program, reducing the cost to residents who participate in the program.鈥�
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