COMMUNITY INFO
Fall Leaf / Yard Waste Collections
County Hauling will be providing eight ( 8 ) collections of leaf and yard waste this fall . The dates for all 8 collections are listed below . We will no longer be driving every street for these collections and anyone who is interested in participating must register through our website or by reaching out to our customer service team .
ACCEPTED
• Leaves , twigs , straw , pine needles
• Shrubbery trimmings
• Branches & Tree trimmings
• 2 inches diameter or less
• 4 feet long or less
• Wood ash
Registration is Required !!! For more info or to register visit https :// www . countyhauling . com / yard-waste-collection-program / call us at ( 724 ) -929-7694 Ext . 2 or 888-883-0333 Or email us at info @ countyhauling . com
September 21 October 12 , 19 , 26
• Items must be contained or bundled
• Reusable containers with handles
• Paper yard waste bags
• Compostable bags
• Bundles tied with twine
• Containers and bundles no more than 60lbs
• Christmas trees ( seasonally )
• Remove all decorations
• No bag or container needed
PREVENTING FLOODS
November 2 , 9 , 16 December 7
NOT ACCEPTED
• Dirt , rocks , & gravel
• Litter or trash from yard
• Plastic items
• Including but not limited to , flower pots , plant tags , empty mulch and soil bags
• Large limbs and tree stumps
• Larger than 2 inch diameter
• Longer than 4 feet
• Wrong containers
• Materials may not be in recycling or trash containers without proper identification of the product
• Materials may not be in plastic bags
• Piles not contained or bundled
Property owners can take these simple actions to help prevent and reduce flooding :
• Do not store things like building materials , yard toys / trampolines , firewood or household objects near waterways because these items could wash into streams during heavy rain blocking water flow .
• Never deposit yard waste , such as grass clippings or dead trees , into waterways or onto the edge of a stream bank .
• Carefully remove and haul away dead trees or brush found near waterways .
• Report debris deposits at culverts and bridges . Don ’ t try to remove them yourself .
Questions about stream bank stabilization ? Contact the Township Office at ( 412 ) 486-9700 .
COMMUNITY INFO
THE ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF GRASS CLIPPINGS
Lawn grasses provide many benefits to our immediate environment . Soil erosion control , improved protection of groundwater , improvement of the quality of life through noise and dust abatement , improvements of air quality , and aesthetic and recreational contributions are some of the assets provided by turfgrasses . However , disposal of grass clippings requires the attention of homeowners to be a good land steward !
The common practice of treating grass clippings as waste is resulting in overloaded landfills and stormwater pollution . Grass clippings left on the streets and sidewalks pollute waterbodies by entering nearby storm drains . Excessive algae growth is a detrimental outcome of yard waste pollution in streams , lakes , and ponds throughout the country . At large amounts , algae can be harmful to fish and humans by limiting the amount of oxygen in the water . In addition to algae growth , grass clippings can also clog storm drains resulting in potential flooding and expensive maintenance to correct the problem .
GRASS POLLUTION PREVENTION Leave it on the Lawn – A mulching lawnmower shreds the clippings and leaves them on the grass to decompose . Mulching not only prevents stormwater pollution , it also provides moisture and fertilizer for the lawn .
BACKYARD COMPOSTING – If grass clippings are typically bagged then backyard composting is another solution to pollution prevention . Home compost piles are becoming increasingly popular among residents . Adding grass to the compost pile provides both moisture and nitrogen allowing for more rapid decomposition . Composting yard waste is not necessarily restricted to a dedicated compost pile , mulching a garden is an additional option . Grass clippings provide natural fertilizer through nitrogen , potassium , and some phosphorus components . However , if weed killers were recently used on the lawn then it ’ s unadvisable to mulch the garden .
LESS FREQUENT LAWN MOWING – Mowing your grass less can be beneficial and prevent weeds from growing . Cutting only the top - // of the grass blades will shade out some weeds and encourage deep root systems . Additionally , leaving 0 to / inches of grass keeps most of the nutrients in . However , it is important to check with Municipal or HOA regulations
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SHALER AREA ❘ FALL 2024 9