Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Oak Park
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 Grey (95-gallon) or Personal Cans Bin (Trash)
Trash must be placed in a 95-gallon cart or a 10- to 32-gallon can with handles and a lid. Containers cannot exceed 60 lbs, and individual bags cannot exceed 40 lbs.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Tied plastic bags (minimum 2 mils thick)
Typically Blue (64-gallon or 96-gallon) Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables should be placed loosely into your SOCRRA recycling cart. Carts can be purchased through the Oak Park Utility Billing Division.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and boxboard
- ✓Junk mail, paper, and magazines
- ✓Milk cartons and juice boxes
- ✓Empty metal and aerosol cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Hazardous materials
Yard Waste Bin
Place yard waste in 30-gallon paper yard waste bags or a refuse can marked with an official Oak Park yard waste decal. Branches cannot be mixed with leaf piles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small twigs (1/4 inch or less)
- ✓Shrub trimmings
- ✓Weeds
- ✓Garden debris
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly
Placement
Set bulk items out by 7:00 a.m. alongside your standard refuse carts. Ensure doors are removed from white goods and mattresses are completely wrapped.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and couches
- ✓ Appliances (doors removed from fridges)
- ✓ Mattresses (must be wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Large household goods
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Oil and solvents
- ✕ Sharps and hazardous materials
- ✕ Broken concrete and building materials
There is no additional fee for up to three bulk items per week. If you have more than three items, you must contact Priority Waste to make special arrangements, which may incur charges.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, refuse, recycling, and yard waste collections will typically be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Fall leaf collection schedules are dictated by weather and equipment constraints rather than standard holiday schedules.
Weekend holidays do not affect the normal Monday through Friday Oak Park trash pickup schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Recycling
While Oak Park allows heavy-duty tied plastic bags for regular trash, you should never place plastic bags into your recycling cart. They jam the sorting machinery at the SOCRRA facility.
Wrap Mattresses for Safety
Priority Waste will leave any mattress or box spring at the curb if it is not wrapped in plastic. Ensure large items are safely sealed to qualify for the weekly 3-item bulk pickup allowance.
Keep Branches Out of Leaf Rows
During the fall leaf collection program, do not mix branches, twigs, or standard yard waste into your curbside leaf piles. Hard debris can cause severe damage to the city's leaf vacuum trucks.
Seasonal Information
Fall
October - NovemberDuring the Department of Public Works' dedicated fall leaf collection, rake leaves into long rows at the curb. Do not place them in single large piles, and ensure cars are not parked in front of the leaves.
Winter
Mid-December - Early AprilCurbside yard waste collection pauses in mid-December. However, during the winter months, Oak Park residents can drop off up to 10 bags of leaves per trip at the SOCRRA facility at 995 Coolidge in Troy.
Spring/Summer
March, June, SeptemberTake advantage of the city's 'Haul Your Own Junk Away Days' behind the Public Library to drop off broken concrete and building materials—items that Priority Waste will not pick up curbside.
About Oak Park Waste Management
Collaborative Waste Services in Oak Park
The City of Oak Park utilizes a dual-system approach to waste management. Regular curbside refuse and yard waste are collected by Priority Waste on a five-day route schedule, while the recycling processing is managed through the Southeastern Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority (SOCRRA). By participating in SOCRRA, the community helps process over 13,000 tons of recyclables annually, earning rebates that help lower municipal waste collection costs.
Haul Your Own Junk Away Days
To help residents dispose of materials that are typically prohibited from curbside collection—such as broken concrete and household building materials—Oak Park hosts 'Haul Your Own Junk Away Days.' Held three times a year behind the Oak Park Public Library on Oak Park Blvd, this event provides free access to roll-off dumpsters. Residents can simply drive up and drop off their heavy bulk trash at no cost, though an ID to verify residency is required.
Strict Regulations for Curbside Bulk Items
Priority Waste allows Oak Park residents to place up to three large bulk items at the curb on their regular weekly collection day. However, strict safety regulations apply to certain household goods. Any mattress or box spring set out for collection must be completely wrapped in plastic to prevent the spread of bedbugs and protect sanitation workers. Additionally, all doors must be removed from refrigerators and freezers before they are placed outside.
Specialized Fall Leaf Collection Program
Unlike standard yard waste, fall leaves in Oak Park are collected using specialized city vacuum equipment. The Department of Public Works asks residents to rake their leaves into a long continuous row along the curb rather than piling them up. It is critical to keep vehicles off the street during scheduled collection days, as crews cannot return to sections where access to the leaf rows is blocked by parked cars.
Obtaining Your Yard Waste Decal
If you prefer not to purchase 30-gallon Kraft paper bags for your yard waste, you can use a personal 10- to 32-gallon refuse can with handles. To ensure Priority Waste drivers easily identify it as compost rather than regular garbage, the can must clearly display an official Oak Park Yard Waste Recycling decal. These decals are available for free at the Utility Billing Division or the Department of Public Works.
Drop-off Facilities
SOCRRA Drop-Off Center
995 Coolidge Hwy, Troy, MI 48084
Materials Accepted
Haul Your Own Junk Away Days (Oak Park Public Library)
14200 Oak Park Blvd, Oak Park, MI 48237
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an Oak Park yard waste decal?
If you wish to use a personal 10- to 32-gallon can for compost, you need a free Oak Park Yard Waste Recycling decal. These are available at the Utility Billing Division (14000 Oak Park Blvd) or the Department of Public Works (10600 Capital St).
What are the rules for throwing away a mattress in Oak Park?
You can place up to three bulk items at the curb each week on your normal trash day. However, any mattress or box spring must be completely wrapped in plastic before Priority Waste will collect it.
Where can I dispose of heavy building materials or broken concrete?
While concrete and heavy construction debris are not accepted for curbside pickup, Oak Park hosts 'Haul Your Own Junk Away Days' three times a year behind the Public Library where you can dump these items for free in roll-off dumpsters.
What happens to my garbage pickup if there is a holiday?
Priority Waste observes six major holidays, including Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. If one of these holidays falls on a weekday, collections for that day and the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day.