Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Delta Charter Township
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 (Depending on Hauler) Bin (Trash)
All household trash must be bagged and fit entirely within your provided 96-gallon cart with the lid fully closed. Place at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled service day with handles facing the house.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and packaging
- ✓Standard household refuse
- ✓Food waste
Blue or Green Cart (Designated as Recycler) Bin (Recycling)
Place all items loosely inside the cart; do not bag your recycling. Ensure all food containers are rinsed clean. Keep at least 2 feet of space between the recycling cart and the trash cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened corrugated cardboard
- ✓Mixed paper, magazines, and junk mail
- ✓Metal cans, aluminum foil, and trays
- ✓Clear and colored glass bottles
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam (EPS) packaging
- ✕Wax-coated boxes and 12-pack cases
- ✕Window glass and mirrors
- ✕Medical syringes
Yard Waste Bin
Requires a separate seasonal subscription. Must be placed in 30-gallon Kraft paper bags or designated yard waste carts. Never mix yard waste into regular trash or recycling bins.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Fallen leaves
- ✓Small twigs and branches
- ✓Organic garden debris
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By request only
Placement
Place bulk items at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled pickup day, keeping them at least 3 feet clear of your standard carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and chairs
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Non-freon appliances
- ✓ Rolled and tied carpeting
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste and liquid paints
- ✕ Heavy construction materials (concrete, bricks)
- ✕ Automobile tires
- ✕ Yard waste and stumps
Because this is a subscription service, additional disposal fees apply for bulk items. You must contact your specific hauler to receive a quote and finalize the pickup date.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, curbside services on and after the holiday will run one day behind for the remainder of the week (e.g., Friday pickups move to Saturday).
Yard Waste Exception
Subscribed yard waste services follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as regular trash and recycling.
If a major holiday falls on a weekend, there will be absolutely no delay to the standard weekday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Recyclables Unbagged
Never place your recyclables inside plastic grocery sacks or black garbage bags [1.1.4]. Soft plastic films wrap around the spinning discs at the sorting facility, causing equipment damage and forcing workers to halt operations to cut them out.
Reject Wax and Foam
Cardboard that is designed for the freezer or refrigerator (like frozen pizza boxes or 12-pack soda cases) contains a wax or plastic coating that makes it unrecyclable. Similarly, all styrofoam packing materials must be thrown in the standard trash.
Yard Waste Belongs on its Own
Dirt, leaves, grass clippings, and branches cannot be mixed into your household trash or recycling carts. Mixing heavy organics into standard carts can result in a rejected pickup by your hauler.
Seasonal Information
Winter
November - MarchThe Delta Township Recycling Center shifts to reduced winter operating hours [1.1.5]. Heavy snowfall can occasionally delay private hauling routes; always ensure your cart is placed on a cleared surface, not on top of snowbanks.
Summer
April - OctoberThe Township Recycling Center expands to its summer schedule, remaining open later on Wednesdays. During peak lawn care season, ensure grass clippings are composted, bagged for a yard waste service, or left on the lawn—never blown into the street.
Holidays
Year-RoundMajor holidays trigger a one-day delay in collection services for subscribers of Granger and WM. Ensure you break down all excess cardboard boxes from holiday shopping before placing them in your recycling cart.
About Delta Charter Township Waste Management
Subscription-Based Waste Services in Delta Township
Unlike municipalities that fund sanitation through local taxes, Delta Charter Township operates on an open-market system [1.1.1]. Property owners are individually responsible for setting up residential trash and recycling services by contracting directly with private haulers, predominantly Granger Waste Services or Waste Management. This subscription model provides residents the flexibility to choose specific collection frequencies—such as weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly pickups—that best fit their household needs.
Navigating Granger's Automated Cart System
For the majority of residents who utilize Granger Waste Services, curbside collection relies on highly efficient, automated side-loading trucks. Subscribers are provided with a durable 96-gallon "Curby" cart. To ensure the mechanical arms can safely lift and empty your containers, you must place your carts within 3 feet of the street, facing forward, and leave a minimum of 2 feet of clearance on all sides, keeping them away from mailboxes, parked cars, or extra yard waste bags.
The Delta Township Recycling Center
When curbside bins aren't enough, the Delta Township Recycling Center, located at 5717 Millett Highway, serves as a vital community asset. Available to residents year-round, this drop-off facility accepts a massive array of materials that shouldn't go in standard bins, including plastics #1 through #7, clear and colored glass, scrap metals, CFL bulbs, household batteries, and even cooking oil. Operating hours shift between summer and winter schedules, so it is advised to check the township website before visiting.
Single-Stream Curbside Convenience
For subscribers with curbside recycling, haulers like Granger offer a "single-stream" system, meaning all approved recyclables can be co-mingled in your cart without any sorting. You can freely mix flattened corrugated cardboard, dry mixed paper, rinsed metal cans, and acceptable plastic tubs. However, keeping the stream clean is paramount: never bag your recyclables in plastic grocery sacks, as soft plastics severely jam the sorting gears at the regional materials recovery facility.
Proper Disposal of Bulky Items
If you are renovating, moving, or simply upgrading furniture, standard 96-gallon carts will not accommodate large items like couches, mattresses, or appliances. Residents must contact their contracted hauler in advance to arrange a scheduled bulk pickup. For appliances containing Freon, such as old refrigerators or air conditioning units, the refrigerant must be professionally evacuated and the unit officially tagged before a disposal crew can legally collect it.
Drop-off Facilities
Delta Township Recycling Center
5717 Millett Highway, Lansing, MI 48917
Materials Accepted
Granger Disposal Center of Lansing
16500 Wood Road, Lansing, MI 48906
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Delta Township provide municipal trash collection?
No. Delta Charter Township operates on an open-market system [1.1.1]. Residents must set up their own subscription for trash and recycling collection by contracting directly with private haulers like Granger Waste Services or Waste Management.
Where can I drop off extra recycling or household batteries?
The Delta Township Recycling Center, located at 5717 Millett Highway, is a free drop-off facility for residents. It accepts plastics, glass, metals, paper, household batteries, and CFL bulbs. Hours vary between the summer and winter seasons.
What should I do if my garbage pickup is delayed for a holiday?
If you are contracted with Granger, collections are delayed by one day only if one of their six observed major holidays falls on a weekday. If the holiday is on a weekend, your service day will not change.
How do I throw away a large couch or refrigerator?
Because standard garbage trucks cannot lift large items, you must call your contracted hauler to schedule a special bulk pickup. Appliances containing Freon will require professional refrigerant removal before they can be collected.