City says leaf vaccuming saved $57,000 in wages

The city of Cedar Rapids' new leaf vacuuming program saved the city $57,000 in labor costs this fall, city officials said today.

Here's the news release from the city:

This year the City of Cedar Rapids took steps to streamline the Fall Leaf Collection Program. The Solid Waste and Recycling Division purchased ten single-operator leaf vacuum trucks, which significantly reduced labor needs. The changes to the Fall Leaf Collection Program saved approximately $57,000 in labor costs.Leaf crews collected over 3,900 tons of leaves this season. The bulk of the leaf collection occurred during the first two weeks of November. While some overtime was accrued during the busiest part of the collection season, it still resulted in significant savings over the previous collection method.The program required some changes in the way residents prepared their leaves, such as placing the leaves on the edge of the lawn instead of raking them into the street. The Solid Waste and Recycling Division is pleased with the positive reception by residents of the changes. One resident commented, “The way leaves are picked up now is much faster and cleaner.”In addition to the cost savings, the Fall Leaf Collection Program was altered to improve safety by keeping the leaves out of the street, providing a higher level of service with weekly pick-up and improving storm water quality. Keeping the leaves off the street reduces the risk of children playing in the street and the risk of leaves catching on fire due to a hot catalytic converter. The ease and agility of the new collection service means that crews were able to reach every household weekly during the collection period, helping residents with lawn maintenance. The new program also improved storm water quality by reducing the amount of leaves entering our rivers and streams. The nutrients contained in leaves can cause algae blooms, which can damage river ecosystems.Leaves collected in the Fall Leaf Collection Program were taken to the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency's compost facility located at 2250 A Street SW. After being processed, the leaves will become compost that can be used in gardens and flower beds by all Linn County residents. For more information about the compost facility please visit the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency's website at: www.solidwasteagency.org.

Leaf crews collected over 3,900 tons of leaves this season. The bulk of the leaf collection occurred during the first two weeks of November. While some overtime was accrued during the busiest part of the collection season, it still resulted in significant savings over the previous collection method.

The program required some changes in the way residents prepared their leaves, such as placing the leaves on the edge of the lawn instead of raking them into the street. The Solid Waste and Recycling Division is pleased with the positive reception by residents of the changes. One resident commented, “The way leaves are picked up now is much faster and cleaner.”

In addition to the cost savings, the Fall Leaf Collection Program was altered to improve safety by keeping the leaves out of the street, providing a higher level of service with weekly pick-up and improving storm water quality. Keeping the leaves off the street reduces the risk of children playing in the street and the risk of leaves catching on fire due to a hot catalytic converter. The ease and agility of the new collection service means that crews were able to reach every household weekly during the collection period, helping residents with lawn maintenance. The new program also improved storm water quality by reducing the amount of leaves entering our rivers and streams. The nutrients contained in leaves can cause algae blooms, which can damage river ecosystems.

Leaves collected in the Fall Leaf Collection Program were taken to the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency's compost facility located at 2250 A Street SW. After being processed, the leaves will become compost that can be used in gardens and flower beds by all Linn County residents. For more information about the compost facility please visit the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency's website at: www.solidwasteagency.org.

The Fall Leaf Collection Program had ended for 2009. Service will resume for a short period in the spring.