2012 Yard Waste curbside collection will begin the week of April 2nd. Yard waste bags will be available to Lancaster Township Residents beginning Monday, April 2nd.  They can be picked up Monday thru Thursday  3:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm in the lower building of our Public Works Department, 1357 Meadowcreek Lane.  The facililty is closed on Fridays.  There is a limit of 10 bags given to each household per visit.   Please be sure to have your ID ready to show to the attendant.

Below, highlighted in pink, are  the weeks yard waste is collected curbside in the Biodegradable bags:

Hours to Drop off Yard Waste at the Facility:  Rather than yard waste being collected curbside, residents are also able to take their yard waste direclty  to the yard waste facility.  The Facility is open for drop off April 2nd through November 21st 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm Monday thru Thursday (2:00 to 6:00 daylight savings time).  Closed Fridays.  First Saturday of the month from 9:00 am to noon beginning April 7th through November 3rd.

* Yard Waste which is, leaves, branches (2 inch diameter and smaller), bushes, shrubbery trimmings, flowers and weeds – will be picked up every other week beginning the week of April 2, 2012 through the week of October 1st, 2012 on your regular trash collection day. Yard waste is to be placed in biodegradable bags.  Even if you have nothing to put out for the trash except the yard waste, it must be in a biodegradeable bag. Branches and twigs need to be bundled tightly and no tag is required. Please make sure your yard waste bundles are no longer than 3 feet long and 3″ in diameter.

If yard waste is generated between December and March you should dispose of it with your regular trash. The biodegradable bags may not be used during these months. Place the yard waste in green/black plastic garbage bags for curbside collection. Yard waste may also be taken to the maintenance facility, 1357 Meadowcreek Lane, up until November 21.

* The Township will continue to provide pickup of leaves in the fall. This leaf pickup will be done separate of trash collection. There is no charge for this service.

Grass will not be collected curbside in the Biodegradable bags.  Grass mixed in with the yard waste makes the mulching process too wet.  Residents can take grass back to the Yard Waste Facility to dump it on the grass pile or it may be  placed curbside with your trash in a black/green plastic bag.

* A special note about grass clippings: There is no reason to remove grass clippings from lawns. Clippings will filter down to the soil, where they reduce water evaporation and encourage growth by keeping the soil temperature cooler.  As it decomposes, grass acts as a natural fertilizer. Grass clippings do not create thatch. Thatch is an overgrowth of the root and stem of the grass plant caused by over watering and over fertilizing.

* Cut grass frequently enough – about every five days – so that clippings do not clump together on top of the lawn. Also, you can invest in a mulching mower or blade which chops up the clippings and makes them finer so that they fall to the soil. Don’t over fertilize or over water your lawn. These small changes in habit will save you a great deal of money over the years.