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Fall cleanup: Recycle yard waste at home

City News September 26, 2025
ground covered with colorful leaves being raked up by a person with black shoes and a yellow rake

This fall, the City of Albert Lea is encouraging residents to try some easy, natural ways to handle yard waste right at home. These methods help the environment and improve yard health.

Leaving grass clippings on the lawn, also known as “grasscycling,” is an excellent way to return valuable nutrients to the soil. Also, using fallen leaves as a natural mulch in garden beds helps conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and provide a protective layer for overwintering insects.

“Leaving the leaves can offer a lot of benefits for wildlife and your garden. It can also save time and money by eliminating the need to rake or buy mulch and fertilizer,” said John Ryther, City of Albert Lea environmental engineer and chair of the Albert Lea Green Team.

Whether leaving leaves on lawns or raking them up for composting, it’s important to keep them out of garbage cans and eventually landfills. Organic materials like food and yard waste make up about one-third of the waste stream in Minnesota. Composting or otherwise managing this waste at home helps reduce the amount sent to landfills, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also helps reduce the amount of land needed for landfills and preserves it for farming, development and natural areas.

If leaving or mulching leaves is not an option for residents, they can take yard waste consisting of leaves, grass clippings and brush – no food scraps – to the Transfer Station, 2506 W. Richway Drive, to be composted.

Annual fall cleanup
Albert Lea residents, with proof of living within city limits, can dispose of yard waste for free during the annual fall cleanup on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Transfer Station.

They may dispose of other items for free or at reduced rates.

  • Free: Household garbage and one load of demolition debris.
  • Reduced rates:
    • $10 per item for appliances, sofas, and mattresses
    • $5 per item for furniture pieces
    • $3 per item for passenger car tire
  • Regular rates apply for rims and electronics

Freeborn County Environmental Services
The Transfer Station should be the last resort for disposal after donating or recycling items. Freeborn County Environmental Services, 2020 Pioneer Trail, accepts electronics and household hazardous waste on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. There is no charge for hazardous waste and a small fee for electronics.