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Yard Material

Christmas Tree Curbside Collection - January 7 to 17

Natural Christmas tree collection starts the week of January 7 until January 17. Have your tree ready and at the curb by 7AM on your collection day! Christmas trees are chipped into mulch, so it’s important to follow these guidelines:

Christmas tree set out on the curbside of the home to be ready for collection.
  • Must be unwrapped from any plastic bag or wrap
  • Must be free of all decorations, lights, wire and tree stand
  • Trees longer than 2.13 m (7 ft.) must be cut in half
  • Must be loose and not buried in snow or stuck to ice
  • Must be accessible, not on top of a snowbank
     

Missed your collection? See below for public drop off. 


 

 

Yard Material Set Out Guidelines

Bags:

  • Use Kraft paper bags
  • No plastic bags or cardboard boxes
  • Keep bags dry – broken, overweight bags cannot be collected

Containers:

  • Use open rigid containers like a garbage can (no lids) or bushel baskets
  • "Yard Material" container labels are available at any Markham Recycling Depot 
  • All containers, bags and bundles must weigh less than 18 kilograms each

Branches and brush must be bundled:

  • Less than 1.2 meter in length and under 18 kilograms
  • Branch diameter must be less than 15 centimeters
  • Tied with string not wire

We accept:

  • Leaves
  • Shrubs
  • Twigs/branches
  • Weeds
  • Pumpkins
  • Flowers/garden plants
  • Root balls (under 18 kilograms and stump must be under 10 centimetres in diameter)

No Grass clippings!

For a healthier lawn, leaves and grass can be mulched and left on your lawn.
Grass clippings are approximately 80 per cent water, decompose quickly creating a natural fertilizer and keeps the weeds away.

Lawn care services

The homeowner is responsible to ensure material it is not left at the curb until your collection day.

Do Not Put This in Your Yard Material

We won't pick up:

  • Grass/thatch clippings
  • Sod
  • Dirt
  • Gravel
  • Cement
  • Topsoil
  • Rocks/stones
  • Animal droppings/carcasses  
  • Driveway/road sweepings
  • Tree stumps/root balls over 10 centimeters in diameter and over 18 kilograms
  • Tree branches/brush larger than 15 centimetres in diameter or longer than 1.2 metres in length

Grass clippings are not accepted in clear bag garbage or yard material curbside.

Feed your lawn not the landfill! Here are some helpful tips:

  • Raise the wheels of your mower to make grass clippings shorter. This means no bagging or raking!
  • Attach a mulching blade to your lawnmower.
  • Spreading grass clippings evenly over the lawn creates a natural fertilizer and keeps the weeds away!
  • Add grass clippings to a backyard composter to create your own mulch.
  • If necessary, take your grass clippings to the Bloomington Compost Site.
Public Drop-off

If you missed your curbside collection, Markham residents can drop off their leaf and yard material at these locations:

Reminder — NO grass clippings!

Drop off for composting:

Richmond Hill (Bloomington) Compost Facility 
1351 Bloomington Rd. East
Richmond Hill, ON
905-773-9876

Drop off as garbage:

Earl Turcott Waste Management Facility 
300 Rodick Road,
Markham, ON
905-475-6356

Visit York Region Waste Deports for hours, locations and fees