Leaf Pickup in Rockford, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Belvidere and Nearby
Updated
Short answer
Rockford takes leaves in paper bags or X-marked cans on garbage day; Loves Park, Machesney Park and Belvidere vacuum leaves from the curb in fall; Roscoe, Rockton and Poplar Grove take bagged yard waste April to November. Illinois bans leaves from landfills (415 ILCS 5/22.22).
Town by town
| Town | How leaves are collected |
|---|---|
| Rockford | Paper bags or 32-gallon X-marked cans on garbage day, 50 lb max, no plastic. Season started March 23 in 2026. |
| Loves Park | City leaf vacuuming in fall: rake to the edge of the lawn, not the street. |
| Machesney Park | Leaf vacuum routes in fall; bags or X-marked cans with weekly garbage. |
| Belvidere | Two vacuum passes per side of the Kishwaukee River; 2026 runs weeks of Oct 26 to Nov 16. |
| Roscoe | Unlimited bagged yard waste April 1 to November 30; Kraft bags or marked cans. |
| Rockton | Bags or cans marked with an X, April 1 through November. |
| Poplar Grove | Brown bags or X-marked can, first week of April to last week of November. |
| South Beloit | Seasonal yard waste service you sign up for with Rock River Disposal. |
| Byron | The city does not pick up or sweep leaves. |
Sources are linked on each town's page. Schedules change each year, so check the town site before raking.
What it means for gutter debris
Gutter sludge is wet and heavy. In bag towns, split it across several bags to stay under the 50 pound limits. In vacuum towns, the trucks are for dry leaves; wet gutter sludge is better bagged. A crew can haul it away instead; ask when you book.
Quick answers
Can I put gutter leaves in my garbage can?
No. Illinois law has kept landscape waste out of landfills since 1990, so leaves go out as yard waste.
Rather have someone else do it?
Tell us the address, how tall the house is and what you need. A local crew calls back with a price before anything is booked.