The last remaining deciduous leaves hanging on for dear life likely won’t make it through the coming week, with rain and wind in the forecast for Clark County. And when they do fall, they could cause a problem.
Fallen leaves often collect in storm drains, causing clogs that flood roadways. To keep the soggy seasonal nuisance to a minimum, Vancouver and Clark County are offering a free leaf disposal coupon program.
Residents can bring the coupon to a participating location along with up to five cubic yards of leaves. That’s more than a pickup load.
“It’s important to not rake your leaves into the street, because leaves in the Northwest get rained on and become very (matted) and they clog storm drains — and when our storm drains get clogged, our streets flood,” Tanya Gray, a solid waste analyst for the city of Vancouver, explained in an informational video.
Residents with curbside service for yard debris may find that their yard debris bin isn’t up to the task alone, especially after heavy rain or wind. Rain is in the forecast for the back half of the week and expected to continue through Monday.
“It’s a good time to rake up those extra leaves,” Gray said. “If you run out of room in the cart, you may need some extra help.”
The coupons are available online at Vancouver’s public waste webpage, at www.cityofvancouver.us/leafcoupon. They can also be found on the Clark County Green Neighbors website, at clarkgreenneighbors.org/en/green-blog/free-leaf-disposal-1.
Residents unable to print a coupon can call Vancouver Solid Waste at 360-487-7160 or email solidwaste@cityofvancouver.us to request a coupon by mail.
Drop-off locations
The following sites offer free leaf disposal for customers with a coupon:
- H&H Wood Recyclers, 8401 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
- McFarlane’s Bark, 8806 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
- Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union St., Camas. Open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- West Vancouver 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.
The coupons are valid through Dec. 31.
