Gurnee Yard Waste and Leaf Disposal Guide

Yard waste disposal in Gurnee is not just a matter of putting everything at the curb. Leaves, brush, grass clippings, and other landscape debris have different rules. Collection programs also change by season, and some properties are not covered by the Village waste hauling contract.

I built this guide to give Gurnee homeowners one practical place to understand the current rules, avoid missed pickups, and decide when leaves are better mulched back into the lawn or landscape instead of bagged.

Collection Season

When Is Yard Waste Collected in Gurnee?

The Village of Gurnee currently lists the regular landscape waste season as April 1 through November 30.

That seasonal window covers routine residential landscape waste collection under the Village contract. The specific pickup day follows the property's regular waste collection schedule.

2026 Program

What Are the Current Yard Waste Disposal Options?

For 2026, the Village lists two regular yard waste options through LRS: a seasonal subscription or a sticker program.

The better option depends on how much landscape waste your property produces. A homeowner with a small amount of seasonal debris may spend less using stickers. A property that regularly generates grass, garden debris, and leaves may find a subscription easier.

Prices are year specific. I would verify the current Village page before relying on these figures in a later season.

Containers

What Bags and Containers Can Be Used for Yard Waste?

During the Village's 2026 free spring collection period, the published rules allowed landscape waste to be set out in kraft paper bags or rigid cans that met the stated limits. These dimensions are also useful for understanding the type of material the hauler is equipped to collect.

Routine collection rules can differ from a special free collection event, so homeowners should verify current LRS requirements before setting out unusually heavy or oversized material.

Branches and Brush

How Should Brush and Branches Be Prepared?

Gurnee's regular brush and branch program is separate from loose bagged landscape waste. The Village states that LRS collects brush and branches weekly from mid April through the end of November on the property's normal garbage pickup day.

Brush must be bundled. The Village states that bundles may not exceed 2 feet in diameter or 4 feet in length and must be tied with string or twine.

• Keep each bundle within the published size limits.
• Tie bundles securely with string or twine.
• Place them at the curb for the regular collection day.
• Do not mix loose leaves or grass clippings into brush bundles.
• Do not assume unbundled branches will be collected.

Fall Leaves

How Does Leaf Disposal Work in Gurnee?

Gurnee has historically offered both bagged leaf collection and a seasonal vacuum collection program. The detailed schedule changes by year and by area of the Village.

As of August 10, 2026, I would not publish a specific 2026 vacuum pickup week unless the Village has released the current fall schedule. The most recent detailed program page available in the sources I reviewed was the 2025 leaf collection schedule.

Under the 2025 program, the Village instructed homeowners using vacuum collection to rake leaves to the curb line, not into the street or sidewalk, and to keep grass, branches, and other yard waste out of leaf piles because those materials can damage vacuum equipment.

Burning Rules

Can You Burn Leaves or Yard Waste in Gurnee?

No. The Village of Gurnee prohibits burning landscape waste inside the Village. That includes leaves, brush, and other landscape materials.

The Village Fire Department separately allows certain recreational fires, but only dry seasoned firewood may be burned in those fires. A recreational fire pit is not a legal way to dispose of leaves, grass clippings, or landscape debris.

Leaf Recycling

Do All Fall Leaves Need to Be Removed?

No. Light to moderate leaf cover can often be shredded with a mower and left on the lawn instead of being bagged.

University of Illinois Extension recommends recycling leaves when practical. Finely shredded leaves can break down on the lawn and return organic matter to the soil. Shredded leaves can also be used as mulch in landscape beds.

This is not an all or nothing decision. A property with mature trees may be able to mulch early leaf drop and then remove heavier accumulations later in the season.

Grass Clippings

Do Grass Clippings Need to Go in Yard Waste Bags?

Usually not. Normal grass clippings can be returned to the lawn when the turf is being mowed at the proper frequency and the clippings are short enough to fall back into the canopy.

Bagging becomes more useful when the lawn is severely overgrown, the clippings are forming heavy piles, or the property needs material removed for a specific cleanup reason.

The better long term approach is to mow often enough that the lawn never produces large windrows of clippings in the first place.

HOA and Unincorporated Properties

Does Every Gurnee Mailing Address Use the Village Waste Program?

No. The Village notes that unincorporated residents and residents whose homeowners association pays directly for waste collection are not part of the Village's hauling contract.

That means a Gurnee mailing address by itself is not enough to determine the correct disposal program.

Storm Debris

What About Large Branches After a Storm?

Routine LRS brush pickup is designed around bundled residential brush. Large storm debris can trigger a separate response from the Village when conditions justify it.

For example, after significant storm damage in July 2026, Gurnee Public Works announced a special large brush and branch collection. The Village asked residents to place large branches near the roadway with cut ends facing the road where possible, while smaller branches and twigs still needed to follow normal LRS bundling rules.

That special response should not be treated as the normal year round procedure. After a major storm, check current Village alerts before deciding how to stage large debris.

Avoid Missed Pickup

Common Yard Waste Disposal Mistakes