Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Lansing
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.
Blue Bin (Trash)
Trash must be securely bagged before being placed in the blue cart. Carts cannot be placed at the curb before 4:00 PM the day preceding collection and must be out by 7:00 AM on your service day. They must be removed from the curb by 7:00 AM the following morning.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Textiles and heavily soiled items
Green Bin (Recycling)
Place recyclables loosely in the green cart; do not use plastic garbage bags. Ensure items are empty and reasonably clean. The automated trucks require the cart lid to be completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and boxboard
- ✓Mixed paper, newspaper, and magazines
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Metal, aluminum, and tin cans
- ✓Clean glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic shopping bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam (polystyrene)
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Compact fluorescent or LED lightbulbs
- ✕Tanglers like cords and hoses
Yard Waste Bin
Place yard waste in biodegradable paper yard bags (under 30 lbs) or tie branches into secure bundles using string or twine (no wire). Never place yard waste in plastic bags or inside your city-issued trash/recycling carts.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small twigs and branches (under 2 inches thick and 4 feet long)
- ✓Tree and brush trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Scheduled pickups only (Thursdays)
Placement
After paying the invoice online, place the scheduled items at the curb by 7:00 AM on your assigned Thursday. Do not block sidewalks or fire hydrants.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and chairs
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large household furniture
- ✓ Household appliances (stoves, washers)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste and wet paint
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
- ✕ Yard waste in plastic bags
The cost is $33 for the first item and $16.50 for each additional item on the same trip. Income-qualifying households can request one free bulk pickup per year.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, CART trash, recycling, and yard waste collections are delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. Friday routes will be collected on Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the standard holiday delay schedule during the active collection season.
Residents can stay updated on exact holiday shifts by checking the quarterly Lansing Living Greensheet or signing up for CART SMS alerts.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Styrofoam Goes to the Drop-Off, Not the Cart
Polystyrene foam (commonly known as Styrofoam) is strictly prohibited in the green curbside recycling cart. However, you can save your clean foam packaging and take it to the CART Recycling Drop-off Center to be recycled for free.
Ban the Plastic Bag
According to Lansing's recycling contamination studies, plastic grocery bags and film wrap remain the number one contaminant. Never bag your recyclables. Take soft plastic bags back to local retailers like Meijer, Walmart, or Kroger for specialized recycling.
Watch Your Yard Waste Bundles
When bundling branches for yard waste collection, always use biodegradable twine or string. Using metal wire, nylon rope, or plastic ties will contaminate the mulch batch at Hammond Farms and result in your yard waste being left at the curb.
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - JuneCurbside yard waste collection typically begins in mid-April. Due to high volumes of spring cleanup debris, crews may run slightly behind schedule during the first month. Leave your paper bags at the curb if they are not picked up immediately.
Summer
June - SeptemberStarting in mid-June, yard waste collection shifts from a weekly schedule to a bi-weekly schedule. During these hotter, drier months, your yard waste will be collected on the same week that your green recycling cart is serviced.
Winter
December - MarchYard waste collection ceases in December once the final autumn leaves drop. During winter weather events, do not place your blue or green carts behind snowbanks. Place them flush with the driveway so the truck's mechanical arm can easily reach them.
About Lansing Waste Management
Understanding the CART Subscription System
In Lansing, municipal waste management is handled by Capital Area Recycling and Trash (CART). While curbside recycling and yard waste services are automatically funded through a $122 annual fee assessed on winter property taxes for single-family homes, regular trash collection is treated as an optional subscription service. Residents must actively sign up and prepay for a blue trash cart of their chosen size. Alternatively, Lansing allows residents to contract with outside private vendors for their household garbage needs.
Thursday-Only Bulk Item Scheduling
Disposing of heavy items like couches, box springs, and appliances in Lansing requires advance planning. CART strictly schedules all curbside bulk waste collections for Thursdays. Residents must submit an online request and prepay the designated fee—$33 for the first item and $16.50 for each additional item—before the truck will arrive. Interestingly, Lansing also offers one free bulk item pickup per year for households that meet specific low-income qualifications.
Seasonal Shifts in Yard Waste Collection
Lansing's yard waste program is highly responsive to the actual growing season. Starting in mid-April, crews collect yard waste weekly. However, as grass growth slows in the heat of the summer (typically around mid-June), the city shifts to a bi-weekly collection schedule that coincides with your recycling week. Once autumn arrives and leaves begin to fall, weekly pickups automatically resume to handle the increased volume of organic debris.
The Lime Green Food Scraps Program
To further divert organic waste from landfills, Lansing recently launched a free Food Scraps Drop-off program. Residents can collect spoiled food, vegetable peels, and leftovers in vented pails at home, and take them to designated lime green 'My Green Michigan' bins located throughout the city. The scraps are then transported to Hammond Farms to be processed into nutrient-rich compost. Diverting heavy, wet food waste can even help households downsize their paid trash carts and save money.
Winter Snow Plowing and Trash Coordination
Michigan winters bring heavy snow, and the City of Lansing employs a unique logistical strategy to keep neighborhoods clean. When public works crews begin plowing local residential streets after a snowstorm, they base their plow routes on the daily CART trash collection schedule. By clearing the streets slated for immediate trash pickup first, the city ensures that automated refuse trucks can safely reach the blue and green carts without delay.
Drop-off Facilities
CART Recycling Drop-off Center (Emterra MRF)
1516 E. Kilgore Rd, Lansing, MI (Check website for specific entrance)
Materials Accepted
Hammond Farms (Dimondale Location)
3377 E. Lansing Rd, Dimondale, MI 48821
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Is trash collection automatically included in my Lansing city taxes?
No. While recycling and seasonal yard waste are covered by a $122 annual fee on your winter property taxes, regular trash collection is an opt-in subscription service. You must contact CART to sign up and pay for a blue trash cart, or hire an independent private vendor.
How much does it cost to throw away an old couch or mattress?
The City of Lansing charges a prepaid fee for bulk item collection. The first item costs $33, and any additional items requested at the same time cost $16.50 each. Note that all bulk collections are scheduled exclusively on Thursdays.
Why did my yard waste stop getting picked up every week in the summer?
Lansing adjusts its yard waste schedule based on seasonal volume. Around mid-June, grass growth slows down, so the city switches to a bi-weekly collection schedule (matching your recycling week). Weekly pickups automatically resume in the fall when the leaves start dropping.
Can I put a loose, unbagged item in my blue trash cart?
No. To maintain neighborhood hygiene, prevent litter on windy days, and keep pests away, the city requires all household garbage to be securely bagged before it is placed inside the blue refuse cart.