Rock Island residents can get leaf bags starting in October

Rock Island is helping residents with outdoor cleanup with collection bags and burning ordinances to manage yard waste.

The city is collecting leaves from its residential refuse customers from Monday, October 14 through Friday, December 5. Residents must bag the leaves in approved paper yard waste bags, their own approved paper yard waste bags or bags provided by the city. Bags must be placed at the normal refuse collection location on the regular collection day. A separate truck will collect the leaf bags, which must not contain anything other than leaves.

Residents don’t have to participate in the Yard Waste Subscription Service to use the leaf collection service and they don’t have to use a yard waste sticker on the bags of leaves.

Rock Island has leaf collection bags available at no cost, starting on Monday, October 7 at these locations and times:

• Public Works Department 1309 Mill Street Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m.
• South Rock Island Township Office 4330 11th Street Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m.
• Rock Island Township Assessor’s Office 2827 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1 (pickup in the back of the building) Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m.

Residents will be given as many bags as needed while supplies last. A maximum of 20 bags will be distributed per day to ensure everyone has a chance to pick them up. Residents must provide proof of Rock Island residence with a photo ID or official mail to receive leaf bags. Bags provided by the city may only be used during this leaf collection program or in future leaf collection programs.

Grass clippings, leaves or other materials may not be dumped into streets or ravines where they can be washed into the storm water system. Debris can restrict the flow of storm water and cause flooding. Residents who violate the Storm Water Control ordinance are subject to fines from $250 to $1,500 per violation per day.

Rock Island enacted an ordinance in the fall of 2008 to prohibit burning leaves or yard waste. Anyone violating the ordinance is subject to a fine of up to $40 for the first offense. The Rock Island Fire and Police Departments have strict enforcement of the ordinance. Anyone seeing burning violations should contact the police non-emergency number at (309) 732-2677.

Rock Island city code does allow recreational fires. These are considered outdoor fires burning materials other than leaves and rubbish where the fuel being burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbeque grill or barbeque pit and has a total fuel area of three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height. These fires are for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes. Recreational fires must not be within 25 feet of a structure or combustible materials. They must be monitored at all times with a way to extinguish the fire nearby.

Burning rubbish or leaves in a recreational fire is considered an ordinance violation and can lead to fines ranging from $40 to $500. Outdoor fires burning materials other than leaves and rubbish that are contained in an outdoor fireplace, barbecue grill or barbeque pit are not subject to the 25-foot clearance requirement. These fires must also be monitored at all times with a way to put out the flames nearby.

Call the Rock Island Fire Department at (309) 732-2800 with questions about the ordinance. The Rock Island Fire Department has the right to extinguish recreational fires.

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