The Northwest’s colorful autumn leaves are gorgeous to look at until they’re all over the wet ground, creating a slippery mess and clogging storm drains.
Every year, Vancouver Public Works crews clean the city’s 13,000-plus catch basins and stormwater drains, removing hundreds of tons of soggy leaves. It’s illegal in Vancouver to deliberately rake or blow leaves into the street — property owners are responsible for managing what falls from their trees.
To encourage Vancouver and Clark County residents to rake and bag their leaves, the city of Vancouver is offering free leaf disposal coupons for four local collection sites.
Valid from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the coupons allow free disposal of up to 5 cubic yards of leaves, which must be emptied from bags at the disposal site. Any branches and other yard debris, as well as loads of leaves mixed with yard debris, will be charged at the regular disposal price.
The coupons are available in the Recycling Refresher newsletter, which is sent to all Clark County households; at www.cityofvancouver.us/solidwaste; at Vancouver City Hall; and at various city offices. The coupons won’t be available at disposal sites anymore, so be sure to get your coupon before you go.
Here are the disposal sites:
• City Bark, 2419 N.E. Andresen Road, Vancouver. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday in October. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday in November and December. Closed Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Early closures on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. 360-253-8461
• H&H Wood Recyclers, 8401 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver. Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday in October. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday in November and December and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, all months. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Early closures on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. 360-253-8461
• West Van Materials Recovery Center, 6601 N.W. Old Lower River Road, Vancouver. Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sundays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Early closures on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. 360-737-1727
• Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union, Camas. Open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Closed Saturdays and Sundays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Early closures on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. 360-834-7253
