During the 2006 leaf collection season, the Hasbrouck Heights Department of Public Works evaluated a new leaf collection system.

All leaves were consolidated into larger piles on the street during the night by a leaf pusher fabricated by the DPW and connected to a mason dump truck.

Removal from the street was completed using two methods.

One crew used the traditional system of using a bucket to load leaves into a truck. The truck went to the DPW yard at Plant Road and deposited the leaves. Those leaves were then loaded into a larger container and sent to Nature’s Choice transfer station, a recycler located in Kearny, NJ.

This system required an 11 man crew per load delivered to the transfer station.

The second system was tried for the first time this season. A "tink claw" was attached to a front end loader. Leaves were scooped up and put into a hopper attached to a garbage truck. The leaves were compacted in the garbage truck to a 3:1 ratio. Once the garbage truck was full, it went directly to the Kearny transfer station.

This system required an eight man crew.

The expectations of the new system are a 40% savings in manpower, fuel and wear and tear of the vehicles. Additionally, the compacted leaves could result in a 40% savings at the transfer station where the Borough pays per cubic yard -- about $9.50 uncompacted and $10.25 compacted.

Both systems will be evaluated prior to the 2007 leaf collection for actual savings. ###