Fall is leaf season—SRB asks for consideration and support
Wet leaves on sidewalks can quickly become a slipping hazard. The Municipal Public Works Department (SRB) provides information on cleaning responsibilities and options for leaf disposal.
With the onset of fall, more leaves are falling again. For the Municipal Public Works Department (SRB), this means extra work. Traffic safety is the top priority. On city-owned properties that the SRB cleans year-round for a fee, the SRB also takes care of leaf removal in the fall.
However, the SRB is not responsible for cleaning everywhere. Where residents are required to clean their own sidewalks, they are also responsible for removing and disposing of the leaves that accumulate there. This applies regardless of whether the leaves come from their own trees, city-owned trees, or a neighboring property. Fallen fruits, such as chestnuts or hazelnuts, must also be removed accordingly.
Do not sweep leaves into the gutter or onto the street
Especially in wet weather, leaves on sidewalks and paths can form a slippery layer and thus become particularly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. Regular removal is therefore important.
However, leaves must not simply be swept into the gutter or onto the street. There, they can clog storm drains and obstruct the flow of rainwater. Likewise, it is not permitted to deliberately sweep leaves from your own property onto the street so that they will be picked up by the city’s street cleaning service. Doing so may result in penalties.
Depending on local conditions, residents’ responsibility for cleaning may extend beyond the sidewalk to include the gutter and parts of the roadway. The applicable regulations regarding street cleaning must be observed.
Where to put the leaves?
For example, place them in the organic waste bin or in the SRB leaf bag, which is available for €2.00 at the Bad and Lebenstedt Community Centers as well as at the SRB. The leaf bags can be placed next to the organic waste bin on the bin’s scheduled collection day for pickup. The disposal fee is paid upon purchase of the leaf bag.
Leaves can also be brought to the drop-off point at the Diebesstieg waste disposal facility for a fee, after scheduling an appointment online at www.entsorgungszentrum.de (opens in a new tab). The delivery of grass clippings, tree and shrub trimmings, and leaves costs a flat fee of €7.00 for quantities up to 200 kilograms with a volume of 1 m³ (up to 200 kg), and a flat fee of €14.00 for a volume exceeding 1 m³ (up to 200 kg). For deliveries exceeding 200 kg, a fee of 85 cents per 10 kg is charged.
If you have your own garden, you can also put leaves to good use in your own compost pile. They serve as a natural soil conditioner and contribute to the biological nutrient cycle. Piles of leaves can also provide important winter shelter for hedgehogs and other animals.
SRB is gradually working through the piles of leaves
During the fall months, SRB employees face a particularly demanding workload. Using leaf blowers, sweepers, and leaf vacuums, they gradually remove the leaves from the areas under SRB’s jurisdiction.
Given the large volume of leaves, it is unavoidable that not all areas can be cleaned at the same time. The frequency of cleaning is adjusted according to prevailing weather and leaf conditions.
The SRB therefore asks for your understanding and requests that you fulfill your own cleanup responsibilities. In this way, we can all work together to ensure that sidewalks and traffic areas remain safe even in the fall.
Trees Are Important to the City
Trees shape the cityscape, produce oxygen, help regulate the climate, and provide habitat for numerous animal species. They also filter dust and particles from the air, thereby making an important contribution to a healthy urban environment.
For this reason, the SRB generally does not prune healthy trees solely for the purpose of reducing leaf fall. Severe pruning is not a sustainable solution: it can promote excessive new growth, damage the tree, and, under certain circumstances, even compromise traffic safety.
Further information on leaf disposal is available on the City of Salzgitter’s website or by calling the SRB’s waste advisory service at 05341 / 839-3741.
You can also find information about leaf disposal in the SRB video on YouTube:
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