Rick Conrad, district administrator for the Muncie Sanitary District, told the board on Oct. 1 that the district will phase out use of plastic bags for curbside leaf collection and begin providing paper bags this fall.

Conrad said there is "no timeline set yet for what we're calling our leaf season" but that officials expect leaf collection to begin at least a couple of weeks after the meeting. "This is not gonna be something where we are intending to provide all paper bags to all residents. This is just to to help kind of offset it for people this first year," he said, summarizing the initial distribution plan.

Why it matters: the district said leaves placed in plastic bags are not composted and instead are sent to landfill under the current trash provider arrangements. Commissioner Smith noted the district pays roughly $53 per ton to dispose of leaves and estimated the district handled about "700 ish tons" last year; both figures were given as approximate.

Conrad said the first priority for paper‑bag distribution will be neighborhoods with heavier leaf loads and then the district will make additional bags available to the public. The district plans public notices through board meetings, Facebook, local newspapers and direct contacts with neighborhood associations.

The board did not adopt a formal ordinance or vote on a funding change at the meeting; the discussion was informational and staff said they are purchasing paper bags now and will bring additional operational details to upcoming meetings.