North Cook News

The Village of Skokie’s Public Works Department has started its annual leaf collection program, which will continue through early December, depending on weather conditions. Residents are encouraged to rake leaves into the street next to the curb in front of their homes instead of bagging them. Crews will collect these leaves throughout Skokie every five to seven days.

To ensure smooth collection, the department advises residents not to park cars on leaf piles and to keep leaves away from parked vehicles. The guidelines also state that twigs, branches, and other garden debris should not be mixed with leaf piles because they can damage equipment. Grass clippings are not accepted in either yard waste or leaf collection programs. Additionally, residents are asked not to rake leaves onto or into sewer drains.

The final weekly yard waste collection for 2025 is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12.

Residents are also reminded that fallen leaves can benefit soil quality and provide nutrients for landscaping and lawns if left in place or mulched. The Public Works Department suggests raking a few inches of leaves into landscape beds or mulching them directly into lawns as an alternative way to manage yard waste.