Is It Legal To Blow Lawn Clippings Or Leaves Into Lubbock Streets?

Possibly a controversial take, but if I were Queen of the World tomorrow, I would take a few minutes to outlaw leaf blowers. I find them deeply annoying. So let that be my disclosure that I have a bias that I'm happy to admit to. Now, what you do on your own lawn is your own business, but once it goes in the gutter, it's everyone else's. But is it allowed, even if it's annoying?

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Nope, You Are Not Allowed To Blow Lawn Waste Into Lubbock Streets

According to the City of Lubbock, blowing grass clippings or leaves into the street is against city ordinance, and you could be subject to a fine:

Ordinance No. 2008-00095 Section 22.11.032. It specifically prohibits any intentional disposal of sediment, grass clippings, leaves, or other vegetation into any gutter, street, sidewalk, or other drainage device that connects with or drains into the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). 

The fines can be quite steep, and probably coincide with the severity of the waste, up to $2,000 according to Everything Lubbock.

Why Clippings In The Street Is A Problem

Yard waste in gutters is an issue for Lubbock, as it could easily clog up our storm drains. They can also contain pesticides or fertilizers that we don't want in our groundwater.

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Furthermore, grass clipping can create a serious hazard for motorcycle riders, akin to oil or ice on the street. We need to look out for our friends on two wheels in more ways than one, and selfishly blowing lawn trash into the street is an easy way to help keep them safe.

The Proper Way To Dispose of Clippings

The best way to deal with clippings is to sweep or blow them back onto your yard. It's the easiest thing to do, even easier than being the obnoxious neighbor that makes them everyone else's problem. And it provides a free, natural fertilizer- returning nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium back into your lush, green yard.

If, for some reason, you want to rid yourself of the clippings, bag them up and throw them away, or add them to your compost heap. Grass clippings are great for composting, as are leaves.