Recycle Yard – 2020 Approved Drop-off Dates & Leaf Mulch Availability

Leaf Mulch Availability

Starting on Friday, June 19, 2020, leaf mulch will be available on Fridays from 10 am to 2 pm at the Public Works yard. Social distancing measures are still required, and access to the mulch pile may be limited based on the number of vehicles loading up.

Next Yard Waste Drop Off Day – July 13, 2020

Additional measures must remain in place in order to open the yard to the Lower Makefield residents while trying to minimize health risks for employees and those dropping off their yard waste.  These are the same measures which were in place for the previous yard waste drop off days this year.

We are happy to announce leaf compost/mulch will be available for pickup during the yard waste drop off event.  People looking to pick up mulch must still check in and wait to access the yard.  All additional social distancing measures apply.  We have brought in enough leaf compost to make a large pile to accommodate several vehicles at a time while maintaining social distancing.  However, there will still be a limit to the total number of vehicles at the pile at one time.

The additional measures include the following:

• All employees and residents are to be wearing masks. However, masks are not a substitute for social distancing.
• Vehicles coming in will need to keep windows closed in order to minimize contact with employees and each other.
• We will have an employee looking in the beds/backs of the vehicles to ensure only yard waste is coming in.  They will also record license plate numbers so we can keep track of number of users and repeat visitors.
• We will post an employee at the top of the driveway with a sign paddle (slow/stop like you would see on road work) to manage the vehicles utilizing the yard.  We will have to keep the number of vehicles in the yard to a minimum.
• To start, no more than three vehicles at a time in the yard will be allowed in order to minimize contact between people dropping off yard waste.  Depending on the size of the vehicles and the pile, it may be possible to allow for additional vehicles to dump.
• We will have at least two employees in the yard to direct traffic, where the vehicles are to drop off the yard waste.  They will maintain their distance from the residents and each other while also keeping an eye on what is being dropped off.
• We will have a third employee operating the front loader to push the pile up as it gets larger.  This will help ensure an orderly process of where vehicles are dumping and keep the residents separate.
• We will have additional signage to remind people to keep windows close, maintain social distancing, and to direct vehicles.

As noted, this will be a slower process than normal.  Typically, 6 or more cars at once could unload their material and this will now only permit a few vehicles at a time.

The other rules for yard waste still apply. 

Acceptable yard waste: wood, grass clippings, tree limbs and leaves.  Please cut limbs down to 6’ lengths.

Not acceptable yard waste: pressure treated lumber; root balls; wood coated in creosote; anything with dirt; bamboo; appliances; tires; concrete; asphalt; stone; furniture; electronics; wood with spikes, nails or other hardware.  No plastic bagged material is permitted to be left in the yard.

Any loads with unacceptable materials will not be permitted to enter the yard.

2020 Recycling Yard – Drop-off Days for Lower Makefield Residents ONLY.

All loads will be checked before being permitted to drive into the site to unload.  There will be LMT employees on site to direct where to dump the yard waste.  Any vehicles with items not permitted will not be allowed into the yard to dump.

Other options to remove yard waste include:

• Coordinating with your trash hauler for yard waste collection services included in your trash hauling fee
• Utilizing another facility in the area such as Britton Industries, Shady Brook Farm, or similar businesses in our area (we suggest calling them for details and pricing)
• Contacting local landscapers who could dispose of your materials for you