Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Birmingham
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.
Customer Provided (Any Color) Bin (Trash)
Must use a 20- to 35-gallon container weighing no more than 50 lbs. ALL trash must be securely bagged inside the can to protect workers from loose debris.
Accepted Items
- ✓Normal household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Styrofoam and non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Small amounts of safely packed sharp items
SOCRRA Bin or Cart Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; all items must remain completely loose in the recycling container to allow for automated sorting at the SOCRRA facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Mixed office paper and newspaper
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Clean glass jars and metal cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam packaging
- ✕String lights and tanglers
- ✕Medical sharps
Yard Waste Bin
Must be placed in heavy-duty Kraft paper yard bags or 32-gallon (max) rigid cans marked with a 'Yard Waste' decal. Max weight is 50 lbs. No plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Fallen leaves
- ✓Garden weeds and plant matter
- ✓Branches smaller than 2 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your standard trash day
Placement
Place items at the curb by 7:00 a.m. Ensure they do not block the sidewalk or the street. Hazardous large items require special attention.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Household furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Appliances (refrigerator doors MUST be removed)
- ✓ Carpet (rolled no longer than 4 feet and tied)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Logs and tree stumps
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Mirrors, large glass, and hazardous waste
Standard bulk items are free. However, excessively heavy or awkward items (pianos, cast iron tubs, hot tubs) require a special call to Car Trucking (586-791-8480) and may require a paid roll-off arrangement.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If one of these holidays falls on a weekday, collection for that day and the remaining days of that week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste is suspended between mid-December and early April, meaning winter holiday delays only affect your standard trash and recycling routes.
If a major holiday falls on a weekend, your standard collection schedule remains unaffected.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Tanglers Out of the Cart
Never place holiday string lights, extension cords, or wire hangers in your curbside recycling. These are notorious 'tanglers' that wrap around SOCRRA's sorting machinery, causing massive damage and safety hazards.
Bag Trash, But Not Recycling
While Birmingham strictly requires you to bag your household garbage to protect workers from loose debris, you must do the exact opposite for recycling. Recyclables must be completely loose in the bin to be processed.
Drop Off Styrofoam and Plastic Film
Styrofoam and plastic grocery bags are banned from the curbside recycling cart. However, you can recycle both of these materials by dropping them off directly at the SOCRRA facility in Troy.
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - MayCurbside yard waste collection and the city's dedicated branch chipper service resume in early April. Ensure small twigs are bagged and large branches (2-4 inches thick) are stacked with cut ends toward the curb.
Autumn
October - DecemberBagged yard waste collection continues steadily through mid-December (specifically, the third week of December). Make sure all final fall leaf cleanups are completed before the trucks stop for the winter.
Winter
JanuaryNatural holiday trees are collected through the end of January by a separate contractor (J.H. Hart). They are turned into wood chips, so you must completely remove all lights, ornaments, and plastic tree skirts.
About Birmingham Waste Management
Navigating Birmingham's Refuse Services
The City of Birmingham, as a member of the SOCRRA network, contracts with Car Trucking to manage weekly residential waste. Collection days are divided geographically: residents North of Maple are serviced on Wednesdays, South of Lincoln on Thursdays, and the area between North of Lincoln and South of Maple on Fridays. Because routes can fluctuate based on staffing and daily volume, it is strictly required that all carts be placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. to avoid missed pickups.
Strict Bagging and Container Limits
To protect sanitation personnel and streamline manual lifting routes, Birmingham strictly prohibits loose trash. All household garbage must be placed in plastic bags (at least 2 mils thick) before being put into your garbage can. Furthermore, residents must supply their own 20- to 35-gallon containers, which cannot weigh more than 50 pounds when full. Cans containing loose, unbagged debris will be tagged with a red warning sticker and left at the curb.
Birmingham's Separate Chipper Service
Managing heavy tree debris in Birmingham is handled differently than standard yard waste. While small twigs under 2 inches in diameter go into regular compost bags, the city provides a dedicated chipper service from April through November for larger branches. If you have branches that are 2 to 4 inches thick and at least 4 feet long, stack them neatly with the cut ends facing the street. Because the chipper truck is a separate entity, it may not arrive on your scheduled trash day.
Year-Round Free Bulky Item Collection
Getting rid of large household junk is hassle-free in Birmingham. Homeowners can place acceptable large items, such as mattresses, doors, and standard furniture, at the curb on their regular service day at no additional charge. For safety, refrigerator doors must be removed before disposal, and any carpeting must be rolled into bundles no longer than 4 feet and securely tied.
Drop-off Facilities
SOCRRA Drop-Off Center
995 Coolidge Hwy, Troy, MI 48084
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Birmingham provide me with an automated trash cart?
No. Birmingham operates with manual lifting crews. Residents must provide their own standard garbage cans, which must not exceed 35 gallons in capacity or 50 pounds in weight to protect the workers.
Why did my garbage can receive a red tag and get left behind?
The city has a strict policy that all household refuse must be bagged inside your container. If you have loose debris in your can, it will be red-tagged and left at the curb to protect sanitation workers.
How do I get rid of an old piano or hot tub?
Extremely heavy or awkward items like pianos, cast iron bathtubs, trampolines, and hot tubs are not handled by the standard bulk trucks. You must call Car Trucking at (586) 791-8480 to arrange a special pickup or roll-off service.
When does yard waste collection stop for the winter in Birmingham?
Curbside yard waste collection typically runs through the third week of December. After that, it is suspended until the first week of April. If you have yard waste during the winter, you must take it to the SOCRRA facility in Troy.