Clark County residents can get coupons for free leaf disposalFree

As colorful leaves begin to fall from trees, Clark County and the city of Vancouver are reminding residents to properly dispose of leaves to keep them out of streets and the landfill.

Leaves should not be raked or blown into streets where they can clog storm drains and create areas of standing water on roadways, which can make roads unsafe for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Instead, residents should take advantage of local disposal options that use leaves to create compost.

Place leaves in a curbside yard debris or organics cart, or in a backyard compost bin. Fallen leaves can also be left on lawns, where they create a natural mulch to suppress weeds and support pollinators with winter cover.

Residents can also dispose of leaves for free through the Fall Leaf Coupon program provided by Clark County Public Works and Vancouver Public Works. Through Dec. 31, residents can use a coupon to drop off up to 5 cubic yards of leaves at one of four designated sites at no charge.

Coupons are available at www.cityofvancouver.us/leafcoupon, www.clarkgreenneighbors.org/leafcoupon, or www.wcnorthwest.com/leaves. The coupon can also be clipped from Waste Connections’ annual recycling newsletter, which will be mailed to all Clark County residences in October.

Vancouver residents can call Vancouver Solid Waste at 360-487-7160 or email solidwaste@cityofvancouver.us to have a coupon mailed.

Leaf disposal sites are H&H Wood Recyclers, McFarlane’s Bark and West Van Materials Recovery Center in Vancouver and Triangle Resources in Camas. Addresses, business hours and more information can be found on the coupon.

Coupons are for residential use and cannot be redeemed by businesses. Branches and other yard debris are not eligible for free disposal. Loads should be covered during transport, and all bags of leaves will need to be emptied at the disposal site by the resident.

To report clogged drains and street flooding on roads in unincorporated Clark County, go to clark.wa.gov/public-works. To report clogged drains and street flooding on streets within Vancouver city limits, go to www.cityofvancouver.us/departments/public-works.