Murfreesboro's 2021 Fall Leaf Collection season begins Oct. 1 and continues through Dec. 31. During this peak season, Oct. 1-Jan. 31, loose leaves can be piled curbside free of charge. Residents can start making plans for raking leaves and sprucing up the yard.

The Public Works Department, consisting of the Murfreesboro Street and Solid Waste departments, will once again team-up for the ninth consecutive year with a combined system to improve service and efficiencies for the City and its customers. 

“The goal is to cover the City twice as fast. As previous, the City will be divided in half by U.S. Highway 41 (Broad Street) with the Street Department serving residents on the north and east side of Broad and the Solid Waste Department servicing the south and west side,” said Public Works Division Executive Director Raymond Hillis.

The Street Department will operate with five vacuum trucks and a dozen or more crew members. The Solid Waste Department will operate seven Boom trucks with a driver and a crew member raking leaves.

“City residents are asked to place loose leaves within five to 10 feet of the street so leaf vacuums can reach them easily,” Murfreesboro Solid Waste Director Russell Gossett said. “Leaves should not be placed out in the street, since this causes traffic hazards and potential drainage problems.”  

Under the new Revised Solid Waste Ordinance reflecting Best Practices, yard trimmings for curbside pick-up should be placed in biodegradable paper bags available at your local grocery or hardware store. However, during peak leaf disposal, Oct. 1-Jan. 31, loose leaves can be piled curbside free of charge, but should not cover or clog storm sewers. This improper placement can hamper the system’s ability to convey storm water as well as adversely affect water quality in our streams and rivers.

To make the annual leaf collection process go smoothly, residents should follow simple guidelines to improve service and efficiencies for City crews and customers:  

• DO NOT combine large tree limbs and leaves; place leaves in separate piles parallel to the street.
• DO NOT place yard trimmings and leaf collection in ditches around or on top of structures such as mailboxes, fences, meter lids, utility lines, utility poles, etc.
• DO NOT place foreign debris such as lumber, household trash, and other types of debris in your leaf pile. It will not be picked up if found.
• DO NOT set clippings or leaves in vacant lots or on vacant properties. This is illegal dumping
• DO NOT place loose leaves under low-lying power lines and cable lines to allow room for the boom to work.
• DO NOT park a vehicle near the leaf pile during daylight hours.

Only biodegradable paper bags are accepted for those residents who choose to bag their leaves. Residents are also asked to keep loose leaves separate from yard waste, including brush, debris, and limbs, because mixing them causes damage to the vacuum units and slows vacuum collection. Collected leaves are trucked to Murfreesboro’s mulch site at 4765 Florence Rd.

The heaviest part of the leaf collection season typically ends before the Christmas holiday.  Crews will continue picking up leaves through the first or second week of January 31, 2022.

Murfreesboro Citizens who prefer to remove their own grass clippings, limbs and brush rather than leave it curbside can utilize the Yard Waste Collection & Mulching Facility located at 4735 Florence Rd., Murfreesboro, 37129.  The Yard Waste Collection Facility is normally open for yard waste drop off Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.   

For more information on the Fall Leaf Collection program, contact Solid Waste Director Russell Gossett at 615-893-3681 or rgossett@murfreesborotn.gov or Public Works Division Executive Director Raymond Hillis at 615-893-4380 or rhillis@murfreesborotn.gov.

Effective August 1, 2021, a Revised Solid Waste Ordinance adopted new best practices with changes to grass clippings pickup, bulk items, and collection fees with customer reminders and new fees.

REMINDER:  Revised Solid Waste Ordinance Best Practices (Aug. 1, 2021)

Grass Clippings

To reduce the clogging of stormwater drains, the City is offering free curbside service to encourage putting all grass clippings in biodegradable yard waste bags. Many conscientious customers already bag grass clippings in biodegradable bags to improve collection efficiency and allow the storm sewer system to flow properly. No plastic bags are accepted. Mulch, rock, dirt, and garbage will not be collected in biodegradable bags. For customers who still prefer placing loose grass clippings curbside, this service will incur a $5.00 charge per pickup. Loose leaf curbside service will continue free of charge during peak leaf disposal, Oct. 1 to Jan. 31. Loose leaves must be separated from brush and limbs. Tree trimmings, hedge clippings, shrubs, and trees shall be cut to lengths not to exceed six feet and eight inches in diameter. Limbs and logs more than this size will not be collected by the City.

Private Lawn & Tree Service Establishments

Private lawn and tree service companies must not place grass clippings or brush and limb at the curb for City pickup. The City is working to allow on-site payment for grass, brush, and limbs at the City’s brush recycling facility, 4765 Florence Rd., 6:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, per a unit price charge.  This is a new and upcoming service for private lawn and tree companies which will allow them use of the City facility.  Payment will be based on the size of their brush and limb loads; $40 minimum. 

Bulk refuse Item pick-up

The revised Solid Waste ordinance establishes fees for curbside bulk item pick-up on a per item basis. Service charges will apply to the customer’s utility account for bulk item collection at $10 per item for the first 3 items and $30 per item for every item over three. Bulk items include couches, chairs, mattresses, box springs, boxes, furniture, and toys. No bulk refuse shall be placed outside for collection until the owner has contacted the Solid Waste Department and confirmed a pickup date.  No bulk item should be placed outside for collection before 7 p.m. prior to the day of collection and no later than 6 a.m. on the day of collection. Customers must call the Solid Waste Department at 615-893-3681 to arrange for bulk item pickup.

Fees for “special event” Solid Waste services

The revised Solid Waste ordinance includes fees for “special event” and property cleanup services such as events on the Square and Cannonsburgh Village. The fee shall be determined by the director of Solid Waste.

Monthly Solid Waste Collection Fees for residential and commercial customers

The City has charged a recurring monthly fee of $7.50 for weekly residential garbage collection and a recurring fee of $30.00 a month for commercial garbage collection. The billing of service fees has been included in the monthly utility bills since July 1, 2019. 

For more information on City of Murfreesboro Solid Waste, visit https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/solidwaste.

For City News online, visit www.Murfreesborotn.gov.