October 1, 2019, East Orange, NJ: : Starting November 1, 2019 through January 31, 2020, the City of East Orange will pick up leaves collected and placed at the curb in biodegradable paper leaf bags, per a recent amended city ordinance.
According to Ordinance No. 12-2019, amending Section 172-19.1 and Section 226-1.A.2, it shall be unlawful for any person to dispose of leaves by depositing them in any catch basin or sewer or by leaving them along any curbline or gutter. In addition, no person shall dispose of leaves by placing them or causing them to be placed upon adjacent property. Instead, leaves shall be placed in biodegradable bags.
This amendment, which was passed by the East Orange City Council earlier in May, means that residents can no longer use plastic bags for leaf collection nor can they rake leaves and leave them in piles at the curb. There will be strict code enforcement and property owners who violate the ordinance may face penalties.
Each fall season, the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW) will provide residents with up to (5) five free biodegradable bags per household per visit. To pick up bags, please visit DPW offices at 44 City Hall Plaza, 3rd Floor, between the hours of 8:30am-4:30pm Monday through Friday. Identification will be required. Lawn and leaf paper bags can also be purchased from various hardware and home improvement centers, grocery stores and other local retailers.
The new ordinance brings the city into compliance with Federal Environmental Protection Agency and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection guidelines. It also will greatly assist with reducing flooding and other sewerage issues of the East Orange Board of Water Commission.
“Over the past several years, the City of East Orange has taken a very aggressive approach to cleaning up our city and making it more sustainable for future generations,” said Mayor Ted R. Green. “Through our efforts, we hope to break old habits and make changes such as using biodegradable leaf bags and other environmentally-friendly products a natural part of our lifestyle.”
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