Yard Waste Collection

 
The City of Cortland will provide yard waste collection during the second week of April, May, June, and October. Yard waste pick up will loosely follow your scheduled trash pick up day. Please keep in mind it may take a little longer to pick up yard waste and we may be a few days behind the trash pick up schedule. All yard waste must be placed on the curb - not in the street. Please do not put yard waste out to be collected until the week of the scheduled collection.

Regulations

Remember, the City employees collecting your yard waste have to deal with all types of weather (hot, cold, rain and snow), so please abide by these regulations and make their job and your yard waste collection as efficient and as safe as possible.

Brush & Branches (Excluding Root Systems)

• Must be in bundles no longer than 4 feet, weighing no more than 50 pounds, with all branches in one direction. No person shall put out more than two such bundles of brush for any one collection by this Department.
• Brush with thorns should be bundled separately.
• Anything over 6 inches in diameter is not considered brush.

Grass Clippings, Leaves, Twigs & Waste Plants from Gardens (No Stones)

Must be placed in plastic or metal cans and not weighing more than 50 pounds. Biodegradable paper lawn and refuse bags will be allowed. Plastic bags are not acceptable. Help remove yard waste by starting your own backyard compost or by not bagging clippings and letting them go back into your lawn. The rule of thumb for mowing lawns is "never" remove more than one third of the grass blade at one time.

Fall Leaf Collection

Our fall leaf collection will be conducted in November. Leaves can be raked to the back of the curb. Please do not put them in the street. Biodegradable paper lawn and refuse bags will be allowed. Plastic bags are not allowed. There will be no brush collection after the October pick up. Christmas trees will be picked up, weather permitting, after the holidays.

Important Contact Numbers

• Cortland County Landfill: 607-756-8077
• Cortland County Recycle Center: 607-756-8077
• Trash Collection Issues: contact the DPW at 607-756-6221