Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for East Lansing
Trash Day
Trash is collected weekly, Tuesday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Recycling is collected bi-weekly (every other week) on the same day as your regular trash pickup (Tuesday through Friday).
Yard Waste
Curbside yard waste collection occurs on Mondays during the growing season (requires sticker and online request).
Set Out Time
By 7:30 AM on collection day (and no earlier than 8:00 PM the night before)
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
East Lansing bills water and sewer quarterly, while standard residential curbside trash and recycling are city-provided services (overflow trash requires official yellow City bags, and bulk items/yard waste require City stickers).
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (ACH), Phone, In Person, Drop Box, Mail
Green (City-issued Cart) Bin (Trash)
Must be placed at the curb by 7:30 a.m. on collection day, but no earlier than 8:00 p.m. the night before. Excess trash requires official Yellow Bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household refuse
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
Green cart with Blue Lid (or standard Blue Cart) Bin (Recycling)
Materials must be loose in the cart, not bagged. Place at the curb by 7:30 a.m., keeping the cart at least 3 feet away from your trash bin.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Mixed paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (#1, #2, #5)
- ✓Metal cans and clear/colored glass
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Medical waste
- ✕Yard waste
Yard Waste Bin
Must use a max 32-gallon rigid container or paper yard bag with an official City yard waste sticker attached. Max 40 lbs per container/bundle. Must schedule Monday pickup.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Plant materials
- ✓Brush and limbs (under 4 inches thick)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Mondays only, by appointment
Placement
Place items at the curb by 7:30 a.m. Monday. An official Bulk Item Sticker must be visibly attached to each item. Un-stickered items risk a $220+ citation.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Appliances (Freon appliances require a specific hazardous sticker) [1.2.1]
- ✓ Carpet
- ✓ Large rubbish over 40 lbs
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction materials
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paints, chemicals)
- ✕ Un-stickered items
- ✕ Yard waste
A standard bulk item sticker costs $27.00. Items containing Freon require a $44.25 sticker. Prices are subject to change and stickers must be purchased from City Hall, DPW, or online.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a city-observed holiday falls on a weekday, trash and recycling collection will typically be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Because yard waste is only collected on Mondays, if a holiday falls on a Monday, yard waste collection is simply canceled for that week.
The city posts specific 'No-Fee Holiday Trash Collection' days around major holidays where yellow bags may not be required for excess waste. Always check the city's homepage alerts.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - MayStandard yard waste collection begins. Remember that all brush, leaves, and grass clippings must be tagged with a paid municipal yard waste sticker and scheduled for a Monday pickup [1.3.2].
Fall
October - NovemberThe city transitions to its Fall Bulk Leaf Collection program. Look out for the schedule detailing alternating weeks for the East and West sides, during which you can rake loose leaves to the curb for free without stickers.
Winter
December - MarchGeneral yard waste collection is suspended, but the city offers a brief window for live Christmas tree recycling. Trees must be entirely free of lights, tinsel, and ornaments.
Local Tips & Community Info
Municipal Solid Waste Operations
In East Lansing, residential garbage collection is directly managed by the Department of Public Works (DPW). The city operates on a weekly pickup schedule for household refuse. If your standard city-issued bin is full, any overflow garbage must be placed inside official East Lansing yellow bags, which are available for purchase at various local retailers and City Hall. Using unapproved grocery or black garbage bags for excess waste may result in your extra items being left on the curb by the sanitation workers.
Strict Bin Placement Windows
To keep neighborhoods aesthetically pleasing and accessible, the municipality enforces strict rules regarding when carts can be out on the street. You must place your receptacles at the curb no earlier than 8:00 p.m. on the evening prior to your designated collection day. Additionally, everything must be positioned by 7:30 a.m. on the morning of pickup, as routes begin promptly. Once the DPW trucks have emptied your carts, they must be removed from the public right-of-way by the end of the day.
Scheduling Monday Bulk Item Pickups
Disposing of large furniture, mattresses, or appliances in East Lansing requires advanced planning. Bulk items are exclusively collected on Mondays. To secure a spot on the route, residents must purchase a $27 bulk item sticker from City Hall or the DPW office on State Road. Items containing Freon, like refrigerators, require a $44.25 sticker. Once you have your sticker, you must contact DPW or submit an online request before 4:30 p.m. on the Friday preceding your desired Monday pickup.
Curbside Recycling Protocol
Supporting community sustainability is easy with the city's curbside recycling initiative. East Lansing utilizes a single-stream system, meaning residents can mix clean cardboard, paper, glass bottles, and metal cans in one green container. It is imperative that materials remain loose; plastic grocery sacks clog the local sorting facility machinery. Keep contaminated items, such as greasy pizza boxes or broken window glass, out of the recycling bin to prevent spoiling the entire truckload.
Ordinance 1300 and Violation Notices
East Lansing actively enforces Ordinance 1300 to combat neighborhood litter and unapproved bulk dumping. If you leave large items at the curb without an official sticker or outside the proper Monday window, you could face swift penalties. Upon receiving a face-to-face violation notice, you have just two hours to remove the debris; if the notice is posted on your door, you have eight hours. Failure to comply can lead to hefty court fines and municipal abatement costs.
Yard Waste and Seasonal Collection
Managing leaves, brush, and grass clippings is a seasonal priority. During the warmer months, the DPW offers dedicated yard waste pickup. Yard debris must be placed in compostable brown paper bags or rigid containers featuring an official yard waste sticker. Branches and brush must be securely bundled and cut to manageable lengths. Regular plastic garbage bags are never accepted for organic compostables, as they disrupt the composting process.
Holiday Schedule Disruptions
When major federal holidays occur, such as New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, DPW routes are typically paused. If the holiday lands on a weekday, collections for the remainder of that week are pushed back by one full day. Friday routes will consequently be serviced on Saturday before the normal schedule resumes the following Monday.
Drop-off Facilities
Granger Waste Services (Self-Haul)
16980 Wood Rd, Lansing, MI 48906
Materials Accepted
Ingham County Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Various event locations
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a bulk item sticker cost in East Lansing?
A standard bulk item sticker costs $27. If the appliance contains Freon, such as an air conditioner or refrigerator, the specialty sticker costs $44.25.
What should I do if my regular trash bin is completely full?
If you have excess household trash that will not fit in your cart, you must purchase official East Lansing yellow bags to accommodate the overflow. These specialty bags will be picked up alongside your regular bin.
What time does my garbage need to be at the curb?
Bins must be rolled out by 7:30 a.m. on the day of your collection. However, city rules mandate that you cannot place them out earlier than 8:00 p.m. the night before.