Yard Waste

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Yard Waste Pick-Up
Yard waste pick-up begins the first full week of April and runs until the third Friday in December. Yard waste bags must be at the curb by 7 a.m. for pick up on your refuse day. A separate truck collects yard waste and routes may be different each week, so the timing of your collection may vary. Set out only the kraft-style paper bags, or trash containers with a "Yard Waste" decal sticker attached (no plastic bags).

Yard Waste Containers
Paper Bags & Cans with Decals
Acceptable yard waste containers are trash cans with “yard waste” decals (decals available at city offices) or 30-gallon paper yard waste bags. Yard waste placed in plastic bags will not be collected. Yard waste containers must weigh less than 50 pounds and yard waste must be small enough (under 4 feet in length) to fit in the designated container. Curbside collection is provided from the first Monday in April through the third Friday in December.

Yard Waste Items
Twigs, Leaves & Grass
Place tiny twigs, leaves and grass in brown paper biodegradable bags (or rigid up to 32 gallon containers with a yard waste sticker affixed) and set it out on your garbage day the first full week of April through the third Friday in December. You may obtain yard waste stickers free of charge at the Department of Public Services office, located at 851 South Eton, or at the Clerk's office, located at 151 Martin Street. The SOCRRA Recycling Facility accepts yard waste during the winter months.
Small Branches
Put out branches smaller than 2" in diameter and less than 4' long - bundled together and tied securely or in a yard waste bag with your regular yard waste. No logs or stumps. Yard Waste is picked up on your regular trash day, no need to call to schedule pickup for small branches.

Reminder: Compost bags may not be over 50 lbs. in weight. Compost includes grass clippings, weeds, leaves, small twigs, pruning debris, shrub clippings, dirt incidental to minor planting or edging of laws, brush tree trimmings, shrub clippings tied and bundled. CURBSIDE weekly pick up is not for landscaping company materials, SOD replacement or large amounts of removal of dirt from yards, or complete renovation of landscaping. Compost cans must be stickered.

SOCRRA Accepting Bagged Yard Waste
Attention, Birmingham residents! SOCRRA has a yard waste roll off at the recycling drop-off center available for residents to bring in bagged yard waste. Proof of residency is required; 10 bag limit per visit. No appointment necessary.

If you have yard waste bags during the off-season, you can either hold onto the yard waste until the curbside yard waste pick up begins again in April, or take up to 10 paper yard waste bags to SOCRRA, located at 995 Coolidge, Troy MI. The City's contractor will not pick up yard waste during that time frame, and is not allowed to by state law during the winter months. For more information on yard waste from SOCRRA, follow the link.

Large Branches Serviced by Chipper Truck
wheelbarrow and rake.

Stack branches with cut ends up to 4" in diameter and longer than four feet at the curb, with cut ends facing in the same direction (preferably the direction of traffic flow). Between April and November, the city chipper truck will collect and grind these routinely. The "chipper truck" is a separate service and may or may not occur on the same day as your refuse day. One complete cycle of the city takes approximately 7-10 business days. During the winter months (December-March) the chipper truck is on a call in basis only.

Available Compost & Woodchips
The city provides compost & wood Compost site photo.

chips (bring a shovel and bucket) for residents. Bins are located on the east side of the Ice Arena, 2300 E. Lincoln. For additional information about compost please visit the SOCRRA website.

Please report yard waste concerns here.

HOLIDAY TREE COLLECTION - January 8 through February 2, 2024

Natural Holiday trees -- without lights, ornaments, stands, and bags -- are being collected through February 2, 2024

A separate service used for disposal of natural trees, so collection will not necessarily be at the same time your refuse is picked up. The trees are ground into wood chips for recycling, so please remove all lights, ornaments, stands, etc. If you used a bag to contain the needles while removing the tree from your house, please remove it and dispose of it in your regular garbage.

Artificial Trees and Decorations

Artificial trees are not accepted. Ornaments and artificial trees can be disposed of in your garbage. Artificial lights are accepted at the SOCCRA Drop-off Center (in the scrap metal container) Do not recycle curbside - strings of lights will get tangled in equipment causing damage and safety issues for employees.