Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Romulus
Trash Day
Collection runs Monday through Friday depending on your neighborhood route.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as your regular trash pickup.
Yard Waste
Yard waste is collected weekly on your regular pickup day from the second full week of April through the second full week of December.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day (or no earlier than 4:00 PM the evening before)
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Water and sewer bills are payable within 21 days of the postmarked date before a 10% penalty is applied. You can enroll in paperless billing or set up direct ACH withdrawals to avoid late fees.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (ACH), Phone, Mail, Drop Box, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Residents aged 65 and older can swap to smaller 36-gallon or 64-gallon carts at no charge; water assistance programs are available for qualifying low-income households.
Green Cart with Green Lid Bin (Trash)
All trash must fit inside the 96-gallon cart with the lid completely closed. Other bags and receptacles will not be accepted. Carts must be out by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Normal household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food waste and residue
- ✓Small amounts of bagged pet waste
Green Cart with Yellow Lid Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be placed loosely in the designated yellow-lidded cart. Do not bag your recyclables, and ensure items are lightly rinsed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers and jugs
- ✓Metal cans (aluminum and tin)
- ✓Newspapers, mail, and flattened cardboard
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Medical waste or syringes
- ✕Antifreeze and gasoline
- ✕Household hazardous waste
Yard Waste Bin
Must be in brown paper yard bags or a 32-gallon container with a 'Yard Waste' sticker. Twigs must be tied in bundles no more than 3 feet in length and under 50 lbs. No plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small branches and twigs
- ✓Shrubs and weeds
- ✓Fallen leaves
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your regular service day
Placement
Keep bulk items at least three feet away from your automated carts. Note that four bundles of tied carpet (under 50 lbs each) counts as exactly one bulk item.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Upholstered furniture (must be wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Rolled carpet (cut to 4-foot lengths, tied, under 50 lbs)
- ✓ Professionally drained appliances
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals and liquid waste
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Undrained appliances containing Freon
The weekly 3-item limit is included in your standard municipal hauling services. Residents with massive cleanouts can purchase a landfill voucher at the Treasurer's Office to dump directly at Woodland Meadows.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Collection will be one day behind if one of the observed holidays falls during the week (Monday through Friday) on or before your collection date.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste collections are suspended from mid-December through early April, so winter holiday delays predominantly affect standard trash and recycling.
If a holiday falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), your standard collection schedule will remain unaffected.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - MayYard waste collection officially resumes the second full week of April. Prepare your overwintered brush and early lawn clippings, ensuring all branches are tied in bundles under 3 feet and 50 lbs.
Autumn
October - NovemberFall leaf drop is heavy in Southeast Michigan. Keep your yard waste bags tightly packed and ensure they are placed curbside before the compost collection season ends the second full week of December.
Winter
December - MarchHeavy Wayne County snows can delay routes. If a winter storm occurs, make sure your carts are placed on a shoveled driveway approach and not perched on top of snowbanks where the automated truck arms cannot reach them.
Local Tips & Community Info
Municipal Refuse Collection in Romulus
The City of Romulus partners with Waste Management Inc. to provide dedicated curbside rubbish removal for all residential properties. To guarantee a successful pickup, all household trash must be securely contained within the black 96-gallon refuse cart provided to each home. Loose boxes or unapproved containers are strictly prohibited. You may roll your cart out to the curb starting at 6:00 PM the evening before your designated collection day, and it must be positioned at the street by 7:00 AM on the day of service. Once emptied, the city ordinance requires that you return the cart to your property's storage area by noon the following day.
Curbside Recycling Program
Participating in the local recycling program is highly encouraged and operates on the same day as your standard trash pickup. Residents can request a free 64-gallon wheeled recycling cart by contacting the Department of Public Services. Acceptable items for the blue bin include plastics numbered 1 through 7, clear and colored glass, grocery bags, newspapers, and metal cans. It is essential to ensure that your recyclables are clean and free of food residue to avoid contaminating the truckload. Hazardous items like motor oil, antifreeze, and medical waste belong nowhere near these bins.
Compost and Yard Trimmings
Since the State of Michigan bans organic yard waste from general landfills, Romulus runs a separate seasonal compost collection from the first week of April through the beginning of December. Homeowners must use 30-gallon brown Kraft paper bags or a standard 32 to 35-gallon trash can bearing a free Compost sticker obtained from the City Offices. Each container must not exceed 60 pounds. Plastic bags are strictly forbidden. If you are disposing of tree branches, they must be less than two inches in diameter, cut to four-foot lengths, tied into bundles up to 18 inches thick, and weigh under 60 pounds.
Weekly Bulk Item Allowance
Romulus residents are permitted to place exactly one bulky item at the curb each week on their standard collection day. This convenient allowance covers large household objects like a single couch, a mattress with a box spring, a dinette set, or a non-freon appliance. Keep in mind that individual items cannot exceed a maximum weight limit of 60 pounds to ensure safe handling by the sanitation crews. If you are throwing away old carpeting, it must be tightly rolled into four-foot sections, taped or tied, and weigh under the 60-pound limit.
Hazardous Material and Free Dump Days
To help locals clear out excessive clutter, the City of Romulus frequently hosts Free Dumping Days at the DPW South Lot located at 12600 Wayne Road. During these special events, residents can drop off up to three bulky items and three scrap tires. However, neither the curb nor the dump days accept hazardous chemicals. For toxic liquids, pesticides, wet paint, and heavy solvents, you must utilize the periodic Household Hazardous Waste Collection events organized by Wayne County throughout the year.
Drop-off Facilities
Woodland Meadows Landfill (Waste Management)
5900 Hannan Rd, Wayne, MI 48184
Materials Accepted
Wayne County Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Various pop-up locations across Wayne County
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the weight limit for a bulk item or yard waste bag in Romulus?
The strict maximum weight limit for any single bulk item, bundled carpet roll, yard waste bag, or compost container is 60 pounds.
How do I get a recycling cart if my home doesn't have one?
If you do not currently have a wheeled recycling bin, you can contact the Department of Public Services directly to request a 64-gallon cart at no additional cost to you.
What time must my trash be at the curb?
All refuse, recycling, and compost must be set out at the curb no later than 7:00 AM on your scheduled collection day, but no earlier than 6:00 PM the night prior.