Curbside Leaf Removal: Why Doesn't Chesterfield Have It?

In a recent city of Chesterfield newsletter, officials answered the question oft-asked by residents: "I have a friend who lives in a municipality that provides curbside leaf removal. Why does the City of Chesterfield not do this?"

Here's the answer:

"To begin with, leaf collection services are offered by very few cities in the entire Metro St. Louis area and, of those, two offer the service via paid subscription. The primary reason for that is COST. The cost to offer this service would be well in excess of $1 million annually, including the conversion of all of our Public Works vehicles with leaf collection equipment, overtime, fuel and landfill expenses.

"There are also 'opportunity costs' to consider which, since other work performed by our Public Works crews during the fall would be forgone due to the labor-intensive nature of the leaf-collection process."

If you have questions regarding yard waste or solid waste service, contact Republic Services at 636.947.5959 or the Chesterfield Public Services Department at 656-537-4762.