Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, marks the launch of the City of Raleigh's newest service for residents, enhanced weekly yard waste pickup. This service will offer residents 26 more yard waste pickups each year and addresses long-standing issues with the City’s loose leaf collection program.
Approved by City Council in June 2025, this new service provides residents with the option to have their yard waste bin, up to 15 biodegradable paper bags, and up to five bundles of tied sticks and twigs every single week. Residents who are especially vigilant tackling their yard duties can also order a second cart at a fee of $55 for the cart and $2/month for the service. Collection days will remain the same for all residents.
With this change, the City will collect leaves mixed with yard waste each week. This means no more raking or blowing leaves to the curb. The City has not made any changes to the leaf collection effort since 2011. Over that time, the City’s growth meant that the time between the two annual sweeps increased. Collection efforts for the first pass often occurred before all the leaves have fallen. The second sweep of the City often occurred late enough that the leaves caused problems with blocked storm drains and bicycle lanes, blocked streets and parking places, and increasing customer dissatisfaction.
The change also moves the service from Transportation to Solid Waste Services. While the department won’t matter to City residents, this allows Transportation Department to dedicate more time to sidewalks, street maintenance, and better landscaping along roads throughout the City.
For more information, visit raleighnc.gov/leaf. To access your collection calendar, download the Raleigh Reuse app.
