Untreated autumn leaves are a danger to both humans and plants and burning them is strictly prohibited

Untreated autumn leaves are a danger to both humans and plants and burning them is strictly prohibited

With the changing autumn landscapes comes the annual challenge of clearing up fallen leaves. Leaves littering aisles and driveways are a safety hazard for pedestrians and cyclists, and if left untreated, they can also be a source of several diseases. “Civinity Group experts explain why it is important not to neglect the management of falling leaves and remind you how to do it right.

Pests proliferate
Autumn is the annual challenge of the new season and requires careful and systematic work. According to Rūta Aglinskaitė, Civinity Meistrai Kaunas Branch Manager, environmental maintenance in autumn is often complicated by high winds and rain:
“We usually rake and sweep up fallen leaves twice a week, or depending on the terms of the contract with our clients. We use rakes to clean up leaves, and on rainy days blowers are particularly useful.” Toma Brikaitė, works manager of the Klaipėda branch of Civinity Meistrai, echoes the challenges.

“Leaves are blown off the footpaths every day, and collected and raked from the green area once or twice a week. When the big leaf fall starts, we form teams and try to get the leaves into piles as quickly as possible, then we put them in Big Bags and take them to the BA bins. The biggest challenge is that the leaves fall everywhere and at the same time, so at 8am we can’t have cleaned up the footpaths and yard passages everywhere yet,” says T. Brikaitė.

Leaves fall on walkways, lawns and paving stones near apartment blocks, which can cause slips and serious injuries, especially on a rainy day. “This is not the only danger posed by uncollected leaves, says Liudmila Dementenko, works manager at Civinity’s Pastatų meistrai. She says that piles of leaves left untended for long periods of time are the perfect breeding ground for dangerous garden plant diseases, including cherry coccomycosis, currant blight, dark mildew and many other fungal pathogens looking for a place to overwinter. In addition, where piles of leaves have been left over the winter, grass grows weakly or not at all in the spring, and some species of flowers that are covered with leaves are killed.

“As part of our commitment to the environment of the homes we look after and the safety of the residents, we collect leaves at least three times a week. The most common obstacle is difficult weather conditions, and the volume of leaves is very high, found in bushes, flowerbeds and other hard-to-reach places, which makes it time-consuming to remove them. On average, we collect several tonnes of leaves a week during peak season, helping to significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Our aim is to promote sustainable, environmentally friendly practices and to ensure that leaf collection is hassle-free for residents,” says Mr Dementenko.

Burning leaves is harmful
Dementenko also points out that even a process as routine as collecting autumn leaves has its own set of rules that are important to follow.

“Just like in summer, in autumn green waste should be collected and properly managed and, if possible, composted. If the conditions are not favourable, the collected leaves should be taken to a designated landfill or waste collection site,” says the works manager, stressing that leaves should never be burned. This is an administrative offence and can result in a hefty financial penalty for residents.

“Burning fallen leaves may seem like a convenient way to dispose of them, but it is harmful to both the environment and people. The process releases harmful substances such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter into the air. These contribute to air pollution and can lead to respiratory problems. Burning leaves also poses a fire risk, especially in dry or windy weather,” says Mr Dementenko.

Encourage composting instead of throwing away
This year, the Civinity Group took a major step forward by integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into its programme. One example of how the company is actively promoting environmental responsibility in its communities is the composting of autumn leaves.

“Composting fallen leaves turns organic waste into natural fertiliser. This compost, also known as ‘leaf mould’, improves soil structure, water retention properties and provides nutrients to enrich plant growth. Leaf composting also reduces the amount of organic matter in landfills and greenhouse gas emissions,” says Dementenko.