The City of Edmonton confirmed fall yard waste collection days are around the corner. Between Monday and November 25, every resident with curbside collection will receive two yard waste collection days, according to a press release. The City of Edmonton said Edmontonians can find their specific collection dates by downloading the Waste Wise app or visiting edmonton.ca/WasteWise. For people with yard waste, the City of Edmonton said they can set it out in see-through plastic or double-ply paper bags on their seasonal yard waste collection days. It recommended they keep bags light enough to lift with one arm.Yard waste can be dropped off at Eco Stations and the Edmonton Waste Management Centre (EWMC) for free. Material has to be loose or in paper bags.Plastic bags need to be emptied on site. It said people can learn how they can use grass, branches, and leaves to improve their yard and soil at edmonton.ca/Compost. The City of Edmonton went on to say Dutch elm disease (DED) has been detected in Edmonton for the first time and presents a significant risk to the city’s urban forest and the benefits it provides. It said cut elm wood should not be mixed with yard waste or placed in carts.If infected wood is stored outside or left in the cart until collection day, there is a risk the beetles that carry the fungus could spread it to nearby trees. People with elms on their property are reminded the annual elm pruning ban remains in effect until Tuesday. The City of Edmonton continued by saying cut elm wood should be disposed of by burning it or taking it to the EWMC for free, safe disposal. Upon arrival, it said they should inform the scale operator they have elm wood so it can be handled appropriately.Elm wood is not accepted at Eco Stations. Edmontonians drop off yard waste at Eco Stations, which is processed into high-quality compost used for a variety of purposes, and introducing elm wood into the same area could contaminate it and risk further spreading DED. Anyone who suspects elm wood might be stored at a property should report it to City of Edmonton Pest Management through 311 for investigation. The City of Edmonton said on September 3 DED has been detected in several trees in the Killarney and Yellowhead Corridor East neighbourhoods, marking its first appearance in the city..Dutch elm disease found in Edmonton for the first time.DED is caused by a fungus and can affect any elm tree. It said a total of four trees have tested positive for it. “Edmontonians take great pride in our city’s urban forest,” said City of Edmonton Director of Infrastructure Operations Mark Beare.
