Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for St. Clair Shores
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.
City-Issued Cart or Personal Can (Max 32-Gallon) Bin (Trash)
Trash must be set out after 6:00 p.m. the night before or by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day. Personal cans cannot exceed 60 pounds, and individual trash bags cannot exceed 40 pounds. Do not place items in the street or on sidewalks.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household refuse
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and wrappers
Complimentary 64-Gallon Cart (Provided by Hauler) Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables should be placed loosely in the recycling cart. Ensure all containers are empty and rinsed. Leave caps on plastic bottles. Corrugated cardboard must be flattened.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard (cut to 24x24 pieces) and paperboard
- ✓Plastics #1 through #7
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (any color)
- ✓Metal and steel cans (rinsed)
- ✓Newspaper, junk mail, and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam (foam containers)
- ✕Wire hangers
- ✕Window panes, mirrors, ceramics, and Pyrex
- ✕Electronics and hazardous waste
Yard Waste Bin
Use brown Kraft yard bags or 32-gallon cans clearly marked 'Yard Waste', 'Compost', or with a large 'X'. Cans have a 60-pound limit; bags have a 40-pound limit. Sod, dirt, hay, and animal feces are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree fruit and garden debris
- ✓Small brush and shrubbery trimmings (under 4 feet long and 2 inches in diameter)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your regular trash collection day.
Placement
Place large household items at the curb after 6:00 p.m. the night before or by 7:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Keep items clear of the street and sidewalk.
Accepted
- ✓ Washers, dryers, stoves, and microwaves
- ✓ Refrigerators and freezers (doors MUST be removed)
- ✓ Couches, chairs, and household furnishings
- ✓ Mattresses (must be wrapped in plastic)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and roofing materials
- ✕ Excessive clean-out debris (more than one room's worth)
- ✕ Hazardous waste and tires
Bulk collection for normal household items is included in your quarterly waste bill. Whole-house cleanouts or major renovations require renting a private roll-off dumpster.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on or before your scheduled collection day during the workweek, your pickup will be delayed by one day. If the holiday falls on a weekend, there is no delay.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the exact same holiday delay schedule as standard garbage during the active April-December compost season.
Express Waste covers these holidays. Your quarterly rate includes collections on the delayed schedule with no hidden fees.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Bag Your Thorny Branches
For the safety of sanitation workers, any branches with thorns (such as rose bushes) must never be left loose or bundled. City guidelines mandate that all thorny debris must be placed securely inside paper lawn bags or hard yard waste cans.
Keep Plastic Bags Out of Recycling
Plastic bags tangle in the gears at the regional sorting facility and will cause your recycling cart to be rejected. Return flimsy plastic bags to local grocery stores using drop-off bins found at bagandfilmrecycling.org.
Wrap Your Mattresses
Express Waste will happily pick up your old mattresses on bulk day, but they must be completely wrapped and sealed in plastic before being placed at the curb to protect drivers from potential bedbugs and biohazards.
Seasonal Information
Spring through Fall
April through Mid-DecemberThe active yard waste collection season typically begins the first week of April and concludes on the second Friday of December. After this date, organic debris will not be collected curbside.
Spring and Late Summer
May and SeptemberThe city hosts two major Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and E-Waste drop-off events annually at the DPW complex—generally one Saturday in May and another in September.
Storm Season
June through AugustFollowing heavy summer storms, residents with massive fallen limbs (5-15 feet long) must contact the DPW at 586-445-5363 to schedule a special chipper service, as the standard waste hauler will not take them.
About St. Clair Shores Waste Management
Transition to Express Waste Services in Mid-2026
Following a comprehensive review by the City Council, St. Clair Shores officially transitioned its solid waste collection to Express Waste Services in the summer of 2026. While regular collection days and quarterly billing setups remained intact for residents, this change brought new service protocols, including long-term pricing stability and a revamped Express Waste Services Rewards program that gives away gift cards to households actively participating in the curbside recycling program.
Flexible Container Ordinances for Residents
Unlike many municipalities that force residents into using massive 96-gallon automated carts, St. Clair Shores offers highly flexible container rules. You may purchase an official 64- or 96-gallon city cart online or at City Hall, but its use is completely voluntary. Residents are fully permitted to use their own personal 32-gallon trash cans or simple heavy-duty garbage bags. The strict requirement is simply that personal cans cannot exceed 60 pounds, and bags cannot exceed 40 pounds.
The Unique 'Long Monday' Drop-Off Program
To accommodate working families, the St. Clair Shores Department of Public Works (DPW) operates a highly convenient 'Long Monday' program once a month from April through October. On these specific dates, the DPW facility at 19700 Pleasant Drive stays open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., allowing residents to drop off excess materials. While hazardous waste is not accepted during Long Mondays, used motor oil and cooking oil can be uniquely dropped off at the DPW complex anytime throughout the year.
Scheduling Chipper Service for Large Branches
As part of the recent hauler contract updates, the procedure for disposing of massive tree branches has changed. If you have large brush or branches between 5 and 15 feet long (up to 4 inches in diameter), they will no longer be picked up automatically. Homeowners must now call the DPW directly at 586-445-5363 to schedule a dedicated chipper service truck. Branches must be stacked neatly parallel to the street with cut ends facing traffic.
Drop-off Facilities
St. Clair Shores DPW Complex
19700 Pleasant Dr, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080
Materials Accepted
Macomb County Household Hazardous Waste
Call 586-469-5236 for regional Macomb County drop-off instructions
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the trash hauler change in St. Clair Shores?
Yes. In mid-2026, the City of St. Clair Shores transitioned its municipal solid waste contract from Priority Waste to Express Waste Services. Your service day remains the same, but you now contact Express Waste at 313-933-7000 for standard billing or collection inquiries.
How do I get chipper service for large tree branches?
With the new waste hauler transition, residents with very large branches (5 to 15 feet long and up to 4 inches in diameter) must call the Department of Public Works (DPW) at 586-445-5363 to schedule a dedicated chipper service truck. Branches must be stacked at the curb with the cut ends facing the street.
Do I have to buy a city garbage cart in St. Clair Shores?
No, using a city-issued 64-gallon or 96-gallon garbage cart is completely voluntary. You are allowed to use your own personal 32-gallon trash cans (max 60 pounds) or simply place heavy-duty trash bags (max 40 pounds) at the curb.
What is the rule for throwing away a refrigerator or mattress?
You can leave large appliances and mattresses at the curb on your regular trash day. However, state safety laws require that you completely remove the doors from all refrigerators and freezers. Additionally, mattresses must be wrapped in plastic to be collected.