Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Mount Pleasant
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.
Brown Lid (96-gallon) or Black Lid (65-gallon) Curby Cart Bin (Trash)
Trash must fit inside the Granger cart. Carts can be placed at the curb after 5:00 p.m. the night before collection and must be removed from the street by midnight on your collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
Yellow Lid (96-gallon) Curby Cart Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is collected bi-weekly. All materials must be placed loosely in the 96-gallon yellow-lidded cart without being bagged.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and boxboard (flattened)
- ✓Newspaper and office paper
- ✓Plastic containers
- ✓Food-grade tin, aluminum, and clear glass jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Wax-coated produce boxes
- ✕Wrapping paper
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Yard waste
Yard Waste Bin
Standard yard waste is not collected in the Granger carts. Brush is chipped curbside by the City. Grass, leaves, and organic yard waste can be hauled to the Isabella County MRF for a fee.
Accepted Items
- ✓Brush and tree branches (via City chipping program)
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves (via ICMRF drop-off)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By appointment only
Placement
Schedule via the Granger portal or by calling 888-947-2643. Prepayment is strictly required at the time of scheduling, and items should not be placed at the curb until approved.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Household appliances (Freon items require an extra charge)
- ✓ Exercise equipment and bicycles
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (requires a rented roll-off dumpster)
- ✕ Hazardous waste and wet paints
- ✕ Tires (can be taken to the ICMRF for a fee)
Bulk pickups require out-of-pocket prepayment. Alternatively, residents can haul large items directly to the Northern Oaks Landfill in Harrison and pay the gate rate.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Granger observes six major holidays. If the holiday falls on a weekday on or before your scheduled collection day, your pickup will be delayed by one day for that week.
Yard Waste Exception
The Isabella County MRF has its own distinct holiday closure schedule (including dates like Good Friday, Juneteenth, and Veterans Day), so always verify their hours before attempting a yard waste drop-off.
If a major holiday falls on a weekend, your standard Granger curbside collection schedule remains unchanged.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
The Wrapping Paper Rule
While the Isabella County MRF accepts standard office paper, newspapers, and soft-cover books, they explicitly ban wrapping paper from the recycling stream. The metallic dyes and low-quality fibers contaminate the paper bales.
Wax-Coated Box Ban
Standard shipping boxes and cereal boxboard are easily recycled in your yellow-lidded cart, but wax-coated produce boxes (often used for wholesale fruits and vegetables) are strictly prohibited because the wax cannot be separated during the pulping process.
Clean Your Christmas Trees
The City Street Department provides free curbside Christmas tree collection every January, but the trees are put through an industrial chipper. You must remove all tinsel, plastic bags, lights, and stands. Evergreen wreaths are not accepted due to hidden wire frames.
Seasonal Information
Winter
JanuaryThe City Street Department conducts free curbside Christmas tree collections during the first two weeks of January. Place your bare tree at the curb (no alleys) with the trunk facing the street. No tags are required.
Spring
April - MayThe Isabella County MRF transitions to its extended summer hours, remaining open on Saturday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. starting April 1st. This is the ideal time to haul your spring yard cleanup debris for a drop-off fee.
Autumn
October - NovemberMid-November marks the end of the MRF's Saturday operations. Make sure to complete your fall leaf and yard waste hauling to the East River Road facility before winter hours take effect.
About Mount Pleasant Waste Management
Mount Pleasant's Exclusive Curby Cart Program
As of January 2025, Mount Pleasant completely transitioned away from its traditional municipal bag-and-tag system. The city now partners exclusively with Granger Waste Services under a unified franchise agreement for all residential properties. Homeowners are equipped with wheeled 'Curby' carts—a 96-gallon cart featuring a brown lid, or a 65-gallon version with a black lid. Because this is an exclusive contract, utilizing unauthorized waste haulers or personal, non-Granger hardware store cans for curbside service is strictly prohibited.
Bi-Weekly Recycling and Extra Bag Fees
Every Mount Pleasant resident who signs up for standard trash collection automatically receives a 96-gallon Curby cart with a yellow lid specifically for single-stream recycling. While trash is collected every week, recycling is collected on a bi-weekly basis. If a household generates more garbage than can fit in their cart with the lid closed, extra bags can be placed immediately next to the cart; however, Granger will automatically assess a $2.00 fee per extra bag directly to the resident's invoice.
Free Curbside Brush Chipping Program
While standard yard waste requires dropping off at the local county facility, the City of Mount Pleasant's Division of Public Works provides a highly beneficial, no-fee brush chipping program. Originally launched with support from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe 2% grant program, this service allows residents to place eligible heavy brush and branches at the curb for free municipal chipping, ensuring neighborhood aesthetics remain pristine without burdening homeowners with heavy hauling costs.
Isabella County Material Recovery Facility (ICMRF)
For organic waste other than large brush, residents are encouraged to utilize the Isabella County Recycling Center and MRF located on East River Road. While the facility provides a comprehensive drop-off site for hard-to-recycle items like automotive oil, antifreeze, and soft-cover books, it also accepts yard waste, leaves, and tires for a nominal gate fee. The MRF operates on seasonal hours, staying open on Saturday mornings only from April through mid-November.
Safe Disposal of Prescription Medications
Protecting Isabella County's groundwater and local ecosystems from pharmaceutical contamination is a top community priority. Mount Pleasant offers an anonymous, 24/7 prescription drug drop-off program. Unused or expired medications can be safely deposited into the secure mail slot located in the lobby of the Public Safety Building at 804 E. High Street, completely eliminating the need to flush hazardous medical compounds into the municipal sewer system.
Drop-off Facilities
Isabella County Recycling Center / MRF
4208 E. River Rd, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
Materials Accepted
Northern Oaks Landfill
513 N County Farm Rd, Harrison, MI 48625
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own trash cans instead of the Granger Curby carts?
No. Under the exclusive franchise agreement established in January 2025, Granger will not service any personal, hardware-store containers. You must use the provided 96-gallon or 65-gallon Curby carts.
What happens if my trash cart is full and I have extra bags?
If you exceed the capacity of your Granger cart, you may place extra bags neatly next to the cart at the curb. However, Granger will automatically pick them up and charge a $2.00 fee per bag to your invoice.
How do I get rid of an old refrigerator in Mount Pleasant?
You must schedule a large item pickup directly with Granger Waste Services online or by calling 888-947-2643. Prepayment is required, and any appliances containing Freon will incur an additional handling charge.
Does Mount Pleasant have curbside leaf pickup?
The City provides a no-fee curbside brush chipping program for tree limbs and branches, but standard grass clippings and leaves are not collected curbside. Residents can haul these to the Isabella County MRF on East River Road for a small fee.