If you've got a yard full of leaves this week, don't wait. Kennewick's free bagged-leaf collection window closes Friday, and the mild, dry stretch of weather through the weekend (60s in the afternoons, upper 30s and 40s overnight, no rain in sight) is exactly the kind of window homeowners need before a freeze complicates things.
Kennewick: free leaf bags, but only this week
According to Waste Management's official Kennewick service guidelines, leaves are collected "during the first full calendar week (M–F) of November, December, and January." That makes this week, Monday, Nov. 2 through Friday, Nov. 6, the current free window. The next ones come in December and January.
To use the service, bag leaves in black plastic bags or kraft lawn bags and set them next to your cart on your regular collection day. Each bag can't weigh more than 55 pounds. WM's guidelines are blunt about cost: "There is no extra charge for this leaf service."
One wrinkle worth noting for the record: a past city council discussion of Kennewick's WM contract, reported by NBC Right Now, quoted a city official describing the leaf program as running "first weekend of every month for three months," different wording than WM's official "first full calendar week." We couldn't reconcile the two versions with the city or WM Northwest customer service before publishing. If you're unsure which week applies, bag your leaves and set them out during the posted November window to be safe, and call WM Northwest to confirm December and January dates.
Kennewick residents also get free Christmas tree pickup the first two weeks of January, no flocking, trees cut to 3-foot lengths, per the same WM guidelines. And the city's residential rate includes six free dumps a year at the transfer station, per the same council report.
This leaf program is separate from the cart swap already underway in Kennewick. New recycling carts are being delivered Nov. 1–14, with recycling pickup moving to every-other-week starting Nov. 16, details we covered in our earlier guide on Kennewick's new recycling carts. WM's recycling program materials also mention "complimentary leaf collection at the curb" as part of the city's updated service agreement, confirming the leaf perk continues under the new contract.
If you miss Friday's cutoff, don't rake leaves into the street. City street sweepers aren't built to handle large piles, according to an earlier roundup by NBC Right Now, which also found Pasco's leaf program follows a similar seasonal, bagged-leaf format. We couldn't confirm Pasco's current hauler, bag limits or exact dates with an official source this week. Call Pasco's public works line before assuming the Kennewick schedule applies to your address.
Richland: two cans, weather permitting
Richland runs things differently. Every household gets a gray garbage can and a green yard-waste can, both collected weekly on your normal day "weather permitting," according to the city's Solid Waste Utility page. That caveat matters in late fall: the city says "during the winter months, yard waste may not be collected due to frozen debris and container damage or hazardous road conditions," and posts any delays on its Facebook page.
This isn't hypothetical. In a 2022 case reported by NBC Right Now, a hard freeze and windstorm forced Richland to pause green-can pickup entirely, with the city announcing collection would resume "tomorrow, Wednesday, November 23 through Friday, November 25." Regular trash kept moving the whole time — the city said then that "trash and bagged waste at the curb will continue to be picked up regardless of the weather." The pattern tends to repeat most winters once temperatures drop hard enough to freeze yard debris solid in the can.
If you generate more yard waste than fits in the green can, it normally has to go out in a certified compostable (BPI) bag, and the city charges for the excess. The one exception is Richland's annual Fall Cleanup, when excess yard waste collection is free. The city's page lists that window as Nov. 10 through Dec. 19, but those are 2025 dates still posted on the site. Richland hasn't yet confirmed this year's Fall Cleanup dates publicly, so call the Solid Waste Utility directly before hauling out extra bags expecting free pickup.
What about West Richland?
We could not confirm current, official leaf or yard-waste specifics for West Richland this week — hauler, bag limits or any free collection weeks. If you live there, check with the city's public works department directly rather than assuming Kennewick or Richland rules apply.
Quick checklist before the weekend
- Kennewick: bag leaves (black plastic or kraft, 55 lbs max) and set curbside by Friday, Nov. 6, for this month's free window.
- Richland: use your green can weekly; watch the city's Facebook page for freeze-related pauses once nights get colder.
- Don't rake leaves into the street anywhere in the Tri-Cities. Sweepers can't clear large piles.
- Confirm Richland's 2026 Fall Cleanup dates with the Solid Waste Utility before counting on free excess pickup.
- Pasco and West Richland residents: call your city's public works line for this year's specific leaf and yard-waste rules.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kennewick's free leaf pickup really just this week? Based on WM Northwest's published guidelines, yes — the current window is Nov. 2 through Nov. 6. The service repeats the first full calendar week of December and January. A separate city statement describes the schedule slightly differently, so call WM Northwest or the city if you want written confirmation before those later windows.
What happens if a holiday falls during collection week in Kennewick? WM's guidelines say weekday holidays delay collection by one day for the rest of that week. If a holiday falls on a Thursday, Thursday customers get picked up Friday, and Friday customers move to Saturday.
Does Richland charge for yard waste that doesn't fit in the green can? Usually yes, and it has to go in a certified compostable bag. The exception is the city's annual Fall Cleanup period, when excess yard waste is collected free, but confirm this year's exact dates with the city since the website still shows last year's Nov. 10–Dec. 19 window.
Can I just rake my leaves into the street for the sweeper to pick up? No. Both Kennewick and Pasco ask residents not to do this because street sweepers aren't designed for large leaf piles, according to prior local reporting.
