Metro Brush and Yard Waste Collection Guidelines
When setting out your brush, leave enough room for the mechanical arm of the knuckle boom truck to operate. Stack your piles end to end or on top of one another. In general, height doesn’t matter, but all brush needs to be close enough to the curb or roadway for the truck to reach it. Only the driver travels with the truck; no other crew members are there to move piles or separate items that don't belong in a brush pile.
When setting out brush, leaves and grass clippings for collection, be sure to follow the guidelines below.
The Do's
- Set brush out before the scheduled start date in your area where your garbage is collected (at the curb or in the alley).
- Place leaves and grass clippings in biodegradable paper bags only.
- Only place limbs, branches and true yard waste by the curb for brush crews.
- Large branches can only be up to 4 inches in diameter and 12 feet long.
- Tree stumps can only be up to 8 inches in diameter and 12-18 feet. Stumps must be free of dirt and root balls.
The Don'ts
- Do not put leaves or grass clipping in plastic bags.
- Do not place brush, clippings and/or leaves in medians or where they can be washed into a storm sewer, catch basin or stream and clog up drainage systems.
- Do not blow or sweep leaves, grass clippings, and other yard debris onto City streets, sidewalks or bike lanes. This creates a safety hazard for roadway users and violates collection guidelines.
- Do not stack brush against mailboxes, trees, fences, utility poles, guardrails or other stationary objects.
- Do not put lumber, household trash and other types of debris in your brush pile.
- Do not include bamboo over 8 feet long.
- Do not include limbs more than 4 inches in diameter or longer than 12 feet.
- Do not include tree stumps more than 8 inches in diameter or longer than 12-18 feet. Stumps with dirt and root balls will not be collected.
- Brush piles too far from the curb or Metro right-of-way will not be collected.
Brush and yard waste (grass, leaves, etc.) from commercial tree and landscaping services must be disposed of by the company and not left for collection by Metro (Metro Code 10.20.085). If you hire someone to cut your brush, be sure that the cost of hauling the brush, yard waste and other debris away is included in the price and that it is hauled away by the company.
Need More Frequent Brush Disposal?
Davidson County residents can dispose of brush and other yard waste free of charge (trailers will be charged a fee) at the following locations:
- Living Earth: East Side (Monday- Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
- Living Earth: West Side (Monday- Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Entrance by West Nashville Wrecker Service)