Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Oshtemo 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.
Varies by Subscription Hauler (e.g., Blue, Green, or Grey) Bin (Trash)
Cart placement, weight limits, and bagging requirements vary based on your selected private hauler (Republic Services, Best Way Disposal, or Waste Management). Carts should typically be at the curb by 6:00 AM.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Bagged pet waste
Varies by Subscription Hauler Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable items should be placed loosely in your hauler's designated cart. Do not bag your recyclables, and ensure all containers are rinsed out to prevent contamination.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and boxboard
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Tin and aluminum cans
- ✓Mixed office paper and newspaper
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Glass (check with your specific hauler as policies vary)
Yard Waste Bin
Curbside pickup requires a specific subscription with your hauler. Alternatively, residents can use the township's voucher program to self-haul up to 4 cubic yards to the WasteNot Recycling facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Fallen leaves
- ✓Brush and tree limbs
- ✓General organic landscaping debris
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Monthly limit via Drop-off Voucher (March - November)
Placement
There is no curbside pickup through the township. You must load your vehicle, take your voucher and matching ID, and transport the materials to WasteNot Recycling at 3025 Ravine Road.
Accepted
- ✓ Large furniture (couches, mattresses, tables)
- ✓ Non-freon household appliances (washers, ovens)
- ✓ Standard bulky household junk
Not Accepted
- ✕ Appliances containing Freon
- ✕ Asbestos, medical waste, or radioactive materials
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Sealed drums or compressed gas tanks
- ✕ Motor oil, pesticides, and explosives
The voucher covers up to 4 cubic yards. If you bring more than this limit in a single trip, you must pay WasteNot Recycling the difference out-of-pocket for the overage.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your contracted hauler observes a major holiday, curbside collection is typically delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. Friday pickups will occur on Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
The WasteNot Recycling facility (for voucher drop-offs) may also have altered holiday hours; residents should call (269) 492-1020 before hauling loads on holiday weekends.
Always verify holiday schedules directly with your chosen private hauler, as policies between Waste Management, Best Way, and Republic Services can vary slightly.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Strict Ban on Lithium-Ion Batteries
Never place lithium-ion batteries in your curbside trash or attempt to bring them to the WasteNot facility using a bulk voucher. They are highly combustible under pressure and cause severe fires in sorting facilities.
No Single-Use Plastic Bags
Regardless of which private hauler you use in Oshtemo, plastic grocery bags are universally banned from curbside recycling carts because they jam the automated sorting gears at the materials recovery facility.
Keep Pizza Boxes Out
The grease and cheese residue on pizza boxes ruins paper recycling batches. Tear off the completely clean lid to recycle, and throw the greasy bottom half into your regular household trash cart.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March - MayThe Township's Bulk Trash and Yard Waste voucher programs officially open on March 1st. Vouchers can be requested online but must be picked up in person at the Township Hall.
Autumn
October - NovemberNovember 30th is the final day to utilize your municipal disposal vouchers for the year. Ensure you complete all major fall yard cleanups and bulk drops before this deadline.
Winter
December - FebruaryThe voucher program is suspended during the winter. During these months, you must rely on your private hauler for large items or pay standard public drop-off rates at local transfer stations.
About Oshtemo Charter Township Waste Management
Open Market Curbside Collection in Oshtemo
Unlike many municipalities with a single waste contract, Oshtemo Charter Township operates on an open market subscription system for weekly curbside trash and recycling. Residents are responsible for setting up their own service through one of the approved local haulers, such as Republic Services, Best Way Disposal, or Waste Management. This allows homeowners to select the cart sizes and pricing plans that best fit their household's specific needs.
The Oshtemo Bulk Trash Voucher Program
To manage large waste, Oshtemo replaced its traditional 'Dump Day' with an innovative, resident-friendly voucher system. From March 1 through November 30, residents can obtain vouchers from the Township Hall (up to three at a time) to dispose of bulky items. You can then haul up to four cubic yards of bulk trash to the WasteNot Recycling facility located on Ravine Road. A state-issued ID matching the address on the voucher is strictly required upon drop-off.
Visualizing Four Cubic Yards of Waste
Understanding volume limits can be tricky. According to township guidelines, two cubic yards of waste will completely fill the bed of a standard medium-sized pickup truck. Four cubic yards—the maximum limit for a single bulk or yard waste voucher—will fill the truck bed all the way up to the top of the cab. For reference, a standard washing machine or oven equals roughly 0.75 cubic yards.
Managing Seasonal Yard Waste
In addition to the bulk trash program, Oshtemo offers a specialized Yard Waste Disposal Program running parallel from March through November. Every township household is entitled to two free yard waste vouchers per year, each good for disposing of up to 4 cubic yards of grass clippings, brush, and leaves at WasteNot Recycling. This is handled entirely separate from the bulk trash limits.
Drop-off Facilities
WasteNot Recycling (Voucher Drop-off Location)
3025 Ravine Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49004
Materials Accepted
Kalamazoo County Household Hazardous Waste Center
1301 Lamont Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49005
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get my curbside trash picked up in Oshtemo Township?
Oshtemo does not provide municipal curbside trash collection. Residents must set up a private subscription directly with a local hauler, such as Republic Services, Best Way Disposal, or Waste Management.
Can I use one bulk trash voucher for multiple trips?
No. According to township rules, once a voucher is redeemed at the WasteNot facility, it cannot be reused. Even if you only brought 2 cubic yards on your trip, the voucher is considered fully redeemed.
What happens if I have more than 4 cubic yards of bulk trash?
If your load exceeds the 4 cubic yard voucher limit, you have two choices: pay WasteNot Recycling an additional out-of-pocket fee for the overage, or take the excess home and return the following month with a new valid voucher.
Do I need to live in Oshtemo to use the voucher program?
Yes. The program is strictly for Oshtemo Charter Township residents. You must present a valid state-issued ID with an address that identically matches the residential address listed on the voucher when dropping off your waste.