Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Adrian
Michigan residential pickups occur weekly. Please check your local township or city map for your exact neighborhood collection day.
State Mandate
Keep yard clippings out of landfills. Return deposit bottles separately.
Typically Green or Blue (96-gallon Stevens Disposal Cart) Bin (Trash)
All household trash must fit inside the provided 96-gallon tote. Place at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. on Monday and no later than 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓General packaging materials
Typically Blue or Green with a Recycling Logo (96-gallon) Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is collected every other Tuesday. Materials must be placed loosely in the cart without plastic bags. Rinsing food containers is highly recommended.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Mixed office paper, newspaper, and magazines
- ✓Clean plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam (EPS)
- ✕Food-soiled materials
- ✕Electronics and batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste is managed via seasonal spring/fall curbside sweeps or by dropping it off at the Adrian Compost Site. Plastic bags must be emptied on-site.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Garden debris
- ✓Loose brush and branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By scheduled appointment on Tuesdays
Placement
Once scheduled and paid for, place the bulky item at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday alongside your standard Stevens Disposal cart.
Accepted
- ✓ Household furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Heavy non-hazardous household items
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste and wet paints
- ✕ Tires and automotive parts
- ✕ Commercial construction or demolition debris
- ✕ Appliances containing Freon (unless pre-approved)
A $5.00 fee applies for each large item. Residents must call Stevens Disposal directly at 1-800-779-0344 prior to their pickup day to arrange payment.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If one of the major recognized holidays falls on a Monday or Tuesday, the standard Tuesday trash and recycling collection will be delayed by one day and picked up on Wednesday.
Yard Waste Exception
Because the Compost Site is a drop-off facility, its operating hours may be subject to closure on standard city holidays. Always check ahead before loading your vehicle.
Holidays falling on Wednesday through Sunday do not impact the standard Tuesday collection schedule in Adrian.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
The Loose Recycling Mandate
Never bag your recyclables. Thin film plastics like grocery bags wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling facility, causing dangerous equipment jams. Keep all items loose in your 96-gallon cart.
Mandatory De-Bagging for Yard Waste
If you bring grass clippings or leaves to the Adrian Compost Site in plastic trash bags, you are required to manually rip them open, dump the organic material, and throw the plastic bags away. Use biodegradable paper bags to save time.
No Building Materials in the Compost
When hauling brush or yard debris to the Oakwood Avenue site, ensure no treated lumber, construction materials, or household trash is mixed in, as these contaminate the natural composting process.
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - MayThe Adrian Compost Site officially opens for the season in early May. Watch the city's website for the announcement of the annual Spring Curbside Yard Waste Collection dates.
Autumn
October - NovemberHeavy autumn leaf fall requires prompt cleanup. Utilize the Fall Curbside Yard Waste Collection sweep, or ensure your vehicle has its City Hall window sticker for frequent trips to the compost site.
Winter
December - FebruaryThe compost site typically closes for the winter months in December. During snowstorms, ensure your 96-gallon totes are placed in a shoveled area and not on top of snowbanks to prevent them from tipping over.
About Adrian Waste Management
Curbside Trash Protocol with Stevens Disposal
The City of Adrian partners with Stevens Disposal for unified residential solid waste collection. All city residents follow a designated Tuesday pickup schedule. To maintain a clean streetscape and prevent litter, homeowners must ensure their household garbage fits entirely within the provided 96-gallon Stevens Disposal cart, often referred to locally as a 'tote'. Carts can be placed at the curb starting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, but absolutely no later than 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
Bi-Weekly Co-Mingled Recycling Strategy
Adrian encourages community sustainability through a bi-weekly, single-stream recycling program. Collections alternate every other week based on your geographic location relative to Maumee Street—either North of Maumee or South of Maumee. Residents must place their approved recyclables loosely inside the dedicated 96-gallon recycling cart. Because the materials recovery facility utilizes automated sorting machinery, bagging recyclables is strictly prohibited, as flexible plastics jam the equipment.
Navigating Bulk Item Disposal and Fees
Disposing of large household junk in Adrian requires a proactive approach. Unlike municipalities with free blanket bulk collection days, any item weighing over 50 pounds or placed outside of a standard garbage bag incurs a $5.00 fee per item. Residents must call Stevens Disposal at 1-800-779-0344 prior to their Tuesday pickup to schedule the collection and process the fee payment. Unscheduled heavy items will be bypassed by the sanitation crews.
Accessing the Oakwood Avenue Compost Site
During the growing season, Adrian homeowners have exclusive access to the city's Compost Site, situated just past Oakwood Cemetery on Oakwood Avenue. To utilize this facility, you must first visit City Hall to obtain a permanent window sticker for your vehicle. The site accepts loose brush, branches, and organic debris in biodegradable paper bags. If you transport your leaves in plastic bags, be prepared to manually de-bag them on-site before leaving.
Seasonal Curbside Yard Waste Initiatives
Beyond the permanent compost drop-off site, the City of Adrian typically orchestrates specialized curbside yard waste collections twice a year. Occurring once in the spring and once in the fall, these community-wide sweeps help homeowners efficiently manage seasonal organic debris without transporting it themselves. Exact collection dates are announced on the city's official website and local channels prior to each session.
Drop-off Facilities
Adrian Compost Site
Oakwood Avenue (just past Oakwood Cemetery), Adrian, MI 49221
Materials Accepted
Lenawee County Drop-Off Site
307 River Street (Corner of Race St and River St), Adrian, MI 49221
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is trash picked up in Adrian, Michigan?
Trash is collected for all City of Adrian residents on Tuesdays. You should have your bagged trash inside the 96-gallon tote and at the curb no later than 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
How do I get rid of an old couch or heavy item?
Large items over 50 lbs or those not in a bag incur a $5.00 fee per item. You must call Stevens Disposal at 1-800-779-0344 before Tuesday to arrange for the pickup and pay the required fee.
Do I need to separate my recyclables?
No, Adrian uses a co-mingled (single-stream) recycling system. You do not need to sort your items. Simply place all approved, clean recyclables loosely into your 96-gallon recycling cart.
How do I get access to the Adrian Compost Site?
To use the compost site on Oakwood Avenue, Adrian residents must obtain a permanent window sticker for their vehicle. You can get one of these stickers per address by visiting City Hall.