As autumn leaves begin to blanket the ground, the Forest Park hosted the first of a series of discussions about the village’s leaf-collection process.
The village currently has no plans to change its current practice and will continue picking up leaves. Officials said they are surveying options as costs increase to collect the village’s 160 tons of leaves each season, and as people become more eco-minded about their yard waste. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District also urges municipalities to prevent leaves from clogging drains and waterways, officials said.
Officials added that they also wanted to inform residents that they are paying for leaf collection twice: once when yard waste is collected from the back of the house and again when leaves are collected from the curb.
The discussions, said commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogovin, are intended to inform and to gather feedback from residents. More discussions will be held in the future, she said.
In the meantime, residents are also being encouraged to bag, compost, or mulch when possible. Unlimited bags are allowed as part of their garbage fee.
“The one thing we’re doing differently this year is asking the community to bag their leaves — there’s no limit on the number of bags and it’s included in residents’ garbage fee. You also have other options: you can leave them on your grass, mulch them, or pick them up with a lawnmower and add them to a compost bin,” said Rachell Entler, village administrator.
Recycling and yard waste are collected on Thursdays for residents south of Madison Street and Fridays for those north of Madison Street, with service delayed by one day during weeks that include New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Containers must be placed in the alley or at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day, as containers on private property will not be emptied.
Yard waste is collected from April 1 through November in marked containers or brown bags, with free “yard waste” stickers available at Village Hall. Leaves should be raked to the curb for pickup until early December, when collection stops after significant snowfall.
Scott Whitebone, a board member of the environmental control commission; Sal Stella, director of public works; Melin-Rogovin and Entler led the town hall meeting. They answered residents’ questions about the leaf pickup program while discussing an overview of its advantages, challenges and potential alternatives.
Neighboring Oak Park’s Village Board of Trustees voted 5-2 to require residents to bag leaves for collection starting in fall 2024, ending the current practice of raking leaves into street piles. The change aims to address safety concerns like fires, reduced visibility, clogged drains, parking and biking issues, and the risk of children playing in leaf piles being unseen by drivers.
Forest Park has a partnership with Republic Services, a waste disposal company specializing in solid waste collection and recycling, handles the leaf pickup on various days throughout the season.
Whitebone discussed the benefits of leaving leaves fallen in the yard and not collecting them, and stressed that leaves are a natural fertilizer that enriches soil, reducing the need for harmful chemical fertilizers. They also boost soil’s ability to absorb water, helping prevent basement flooding.
“For every one percent of compost added to an acre, the soil can absorb 20,000 more gallons of water. By leaving leaves in your yard over a few years, you’ll prevent thousands of gallons of water from entering your basement. This benefits both the environment and homeowners,” Whitebone said.
Whitebone added that keeping leaves in one’s yard benefits local wildlife, as many beneficial insects, including bees and fireflies, use them as overwintering habitats. Additionally, collecting leaves incurs environmental costs due to emissions and fuel consumption from trucks and leaf blowers.
The village acknowledged that some residents may have long-standing habits affecting their views on leaf disposal while emphasizing the importance of communicating frustrations with missed pickups. Officials said they ultimately aimed to find community-driven solutions to improve the yard waste pickup experience.
One resident raises a concern about whether raking leaves in the streets and leaves blocking catch basins contribute to flooding issues. Stella confirmed that excess leaves can clog catch basins, preventing water from draining properly and leading to street flooding during heavy rains. He also said that their crew cleans catch basins daily to mitigate this problem, but acknowledged that leaf accumulation and flooding are common occurrences.
“While we have a crew that cleans catch basins daily to mitigate this problem, it’s important to note that leaf accumulation and flooding are common occurrences every year, especially if a different route is full of leaves,” Stella said.
Forest Park is committed to supporting its residents and encourages open communication, Melin-Rogovin said.
“If you’re frustrated with missed yard waste pickups, it’s important to contact Village Hall or Republic Services directly, as they are responsive to concerns. We need to know about any ongoing issues so we can address them and improve the service,” Melin-Rogovin said.
Correction, Oct. 1, 4:22 p.m.: Because mistaken information was supplied to Forest Park Review, an earlier version of this article misstated the amount of leaves the village collects each season. It is 160 tons. We apologize for the error.
