SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The City of South Bend began its yard waste program for 2022 on Monday that allows residents to sign up to get grass clippings and leaves picked up by city crew workers on a weekly basis.

For $3.50 a month, participants will receive a 48 or 96-gallon yard waste bin that can be filled with grass clippings, leaves, twigs and weeds that will be picked up by crews on the same day as a resident’s weekly trash pickup.

These bins are required to be free of animal waste, dirt and rocks, household trash and food waste, lumber, oils, liquids and other hazardous waste, plastic bags and recyclable items.

After an initial warning, residents will begin to receive charges as a fine for placing non-yard waste substances and objects in their yard waste bins.

Bins need to be limited to yard waste because the city converts the yard waste into mulch and compost at the city’s Organic Resources facility.

For more information about this program or to sign up, visit the City of South Bend’s website.