Leaf & Brush Collection and Burns

Brush Collection Policy

Public Works Staff will pick up brush as time allows between March and October. The Village tries to collect brush approximately every other week, but collection times may vary.  Check at this web page and the "Bee In The Know" on the back of the water bills for pick-up scheduling information.  Special picks-ups may occur after severe weather at the discretion of the Village.

Brush must be placed behind the curb or next to the pavement. Brush and leaves should not be placed on the pavement and may not be picked up if they are located there.

Brush, bushes and branches must meet the following criteria for pickup:

  • Diameter less than 4"
  • Length less than 6’
  • Free of dirt, metal, plastic, and other debris
  • Materials should be stacked as much as possible in the same direction to enable easy pickup


The following will NOT be collected:

  • Entire Trees (must be cut into smaller segments)
  • Trees, branches, or landscaping waste generated by a professional service
  • Any branch or material greater than 4" in Diameter
  • Materials that are covered in dirt (i.e. root balls) or items that are mixed with plastics or metals or other debris
  • Lumber (landscaping or general construction materials)
  • Railroad ties, utility poles
If materials placed out for collection are not acceptable, staff will affix a pink tag to the brush indicating the problem with the materials.  Homeowner are responsible for correcting the problem.  Once corrected, the Village will collect on its next scheduled collection. 

2024 Collection Schedule

Brush will be collected the weeks of:

  • January usually the 2nd week of the month depending on snowfall to collect Christmas trees*
  • March 11th & 25th
  • April 8th & 22nd
  • May 6th & 20th   
  • June 3th & 17th  
  • July 1st & 22nd   
  • August 5th & 19th   
  • September 9th & 23rd
  • October 7th & 21st
  • November Once before Thanksgiving*
  • December once before the first snowfall or Christmas whichever is first*
*No regular brush collection after the Week of October 21st.  Which is the last regular brush collection week for 2024.  We will continue to pick up brush as needed until the first snow, however there will not be a regular schedule for collection.

Brush collected by public works staff is taken to Centennial Park.  No residential drop off is allowed.  In addition to the brush collected, the Village has a stock pile of chipped brush that is available for residents to use as mulch.  This material has not been treated and may contain insects, mold, or other undesirable items.


Leaf Pick-up

Collecting Leaves with a Leaf VacVillage Staff will pick-up leaves piled by the curb or off the edge of pavement as needed during the fall and spring.   Leaf collection typically starts around the middle to end of October and runs through the end of November.  A spring leaf collection typically occurs in early spring.  Leaves should not be placed on the pavement as they are a hazard to the traveling public and often end up back in residents yards when they leaves get plowed off the road during an early snow.
Leaf Vac
No tree limbs or branches should be in the leaf piles as this causes damage to our leaf vacuum, please keep branches separate and the Village will collect them separately from the leaves.  Leaves, landscape materials, and small sticks may be placed in paper landscape bags and set out for collection on either brush collection days or leaf collection days.  

All leaf  and landscape waste materials collected are taken by public works staff to the Village of Heyworth Landscape Waste Compost Facility.  This is an IEPA permitted composting facility.  No residential drop-offs are accepted at this facility.  Once the composting process is completed the finished product is lab tested to ensure compliance with requirements for end use compost.  After the material passes the required lab tests it may be land applied.  In the past the Village has used the compost on its own projects, returned it to Village Residents for their gardens and flower beds, and given it to area farmers for use as a soil amendment.

Burn Policy

The Village of Heyworth allows the burning of leaves and brush, but only during certain periods and under certain conditions.  Open burning, which is the period that allows burning without a permit and subject to certain requirements, is allowed during the following period:

OPEN BURNING IS ALLOWED:  March 1 to April 30
                                                           October 1 to November 30

OPEN BURNING BASIC RULES:
  • Burning only allowed during daylight hours and on non-windy days.
  • Burning must be conducted on your property and not on the Village streets, sidewalks, or rights-of-way.
  • The burn must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
  • A water source must be nearby and the fire completely extinguished when finished.
  • Residents are asked to check with their neighbors prior to burning to make sure there are no health issues affected by the smoke.
  • For complete rules, see the Burn Permit Ordinance at Title 5, Chapter 2 of the Village Code.
Burning may be allowed on dates and times beyond open burning dates if a Controlled Burned Permit is applied for and issued by the Village.