City crews resume brush collection
March 6, 2021

KNOXVILLE - The temperatures will be in the 50s this weekend – perfect for tidying up the flower beds around your house.

This week also marked the City’s return to bi-weekly brush pickup. Through October, a Public Service Department crew will pick up leaves, grass clippings and brush that’s set alongside the street or curb at least once every other week.

It’s a weighty responsibility. Last year, City crews collected 24,587 tons of brush, along with 6,845 tons of leaves over the fall and winter months. That’s a combined total of more than 31,000 tons – or 62.8 million pounds.

City crews don’t actually stop picking up brush in the winter. There’s just less of it, and most homeowners prioritize leaf pickup, so crews in the winter months collect brush as needed, not on a two-week scheduled rotation.

Leaf and brush pickup services use different equipment, due to the different weight of the materials being collected.

“The switch to brush season actually makes it a little more convenient for residents,” Public Service Director Chad Weth said. “In the winter, we ask that they keep brush and sticks out of the leaf piles so it won’t clog or damage the vacuums. But now, residents can put all their brush and leaves curbside in the same pile. We’re back to using the heavier equipment that can handle all types of yard waste.”

To learn when crews will be picking up brush on your street, visit www.knoxvilletn.gov/brushpickup.