OREGON – With kids back to school and the Labor Day holiday past, fall is right around the corner.
The Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department (OCSWMD) would like to remind people about landscape waste disposal options here in Ogle County.
There are several options for managing landscape waste, depending on where you live and what types of landscape waste you have to dispose of.
Most local waste hauling companies accept landscape waste on certain days. Check with your waste hauler for the schedule and how they would like the material to be packaged for pick-up. If you reside in Mount Morris or Rochelle, leaves may be piled up at the curb and the Street Department will collect them for you. Contact them for details.

Leaves can be left on your lawn to be mulched during your last mowings of the season. Use your mower and go over the leaves multiple times to chop them into small pieces.
 The drier the leaves are, the better they can be broken down. Mulching your leaves into your lawn is natural fertilizer and can help your lawn during the winter months.  
Leaves can also be used as mulch around flower gardens and other outdoor plants as they provide protection from cold temperatures and help the soil in the spring. Again, chop the leaves with your mower and pile them on your perennials and ornamentals.
If you have a home compost bin, leaves and grass clippings can be added to that as well and can produce fertile compost for your spring garden.
The open burning of most waste is prohibited in Illinois. If you live in a municipality, check with your village about restrictions on the open burning of landscape waste. Many cities and villages prohibit or have restrictions on this activity.
If you live in a rural area, landscape waste from that property may be burned under certain conditions. If landscape waste is to be burned, the smoke produced cannot impinge on any roadway and must not create nuisance conditions for others. Be sure the material is very dry so it will burn quickly with minimal smoke. If a large quantity of landscape waste is to be burned, contact the local fire department prior to the fire, and be sure the fire cannot spread to any buildings, agricultural fields, or other areas.
 Under no circumstances may household trash, demolition debris, furniture, tires, or other waste be openly burned.
The OCSWMD encourages residents to compost, mulch, or bag for collection any landscape waste generated on your property. Call the OCSWMD at 815-732-4020 or visit www.oglecounty.org