Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Warren
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.
Blue Cart (Blue Lid) Bin (Trash)
All household garbage must be bagged before placement in the blue-lidded 95-gallon cart. Carts must be set out by 6:00 AM on your collection day (but no earlier than 6:00 PM the night before) with lids completely closed. Keep carts 3 feet apart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste and wrappers
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Solidified latex paint (lid removed)
Blue Cart (or Red Bin fading out) Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables should be placed loosely in your cart. Cardboard boxes must be broken down. Your recycling container must be placed at least 5 feet away from your regular garbage cart at the curb.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard (broken down and flattened)
- ✓Mixed paper, newspaper, and magazines
- ✓Metal and tin cans
- ✓Clean glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food-soiled materials
- ✕Hazardous chemicals
- ✕Electronics
Yard Waste Bin
Place compost in the blue 95-gallon cart with a brown lid, or in 30-gallon brown paper bags. Branches must be tied in small bundles. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited. Curbside season runs from April 1 to December 1.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Garden and flower bed debris
- ✓Small brush and tree branches (under 2 inches thick and 4 feet long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your normal collection day
Placement
Set bulk items neatly next to the rubbish containers by 6:00 AM on collection day. Ensure appliances have all doors removed to prevent child entrapment hazards.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Refrigerators and freezers (doors removed, Freon removal not required)
- ✓ Rolled carpet (4-foot tied bundles)
- ✓ Couches and household goods
Not Accepted
- ✕ Mirrors and glass doorwalls
- ✕ Garage doors and building materials
- ✕ Air conditioners/dehumidifiers (unless Freon is professionally removed)
- ✕ Dirt, sod, concrete, bricks, and tires
Curbside bulk collection is included for bona-fide residents. Landlords dealing with tenant evictions will be charged by the Sanitation Department for excessive debris removal.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday occurs during the week, the refuse collection schedule will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. Normal schedules resume the following Monday.
Yard Waste Exception
During the active season (April 1 to Dec 1), compost collection follows the same exact holiday delay as standard trash and recycling.
Holidays falling on weekends typically do not interrupt the Monday-Friday curbside collection routes.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Dry Out Your Latex Paint
Liquid paint is considered hazardous and will ruin the inside of collection trucks. Warren allows latex paint in regular trash only if it is completely dried out. Add cat litter or sand to the can, let it solidify, and toss it in your blue cart with the lid off.
Wrap Mattresses with Bed Bugs
To protect sanitation workers and prevent the spread of infestations across Warren neighborhoods, any mattress infested with bed bugs must be completely wrapped and sealed in heavy-duty plastic before being placed at the curb for bulk pickup.
Keep Roots Out of the Compost Bin
If you are digging up shrubs, you must cut the roots off the plant. Dirt and root balls go into the regular garbage (after shaking off excess soil), while the clean woody shrub goes into the compost cart. Dirt in the compost will cause the entire load to be rejected.
Seasonal Information
Spring
AprilCurbside compost season officially begins on April 1st. Make sure your brown-lidded carts are ready and any early spring yard cleanup debris is placed in biodegradable paper bags, not plastic.
Winter
December - MarchCurbside yard waste pickup is completely suspended from December 2nd to March 31st. During these months, you must bring any remaining winter brush or debris directly to the Recycling Center on Flanders.
Year-Round
January - DecemberIf you have large tree trunks or stumps cut to firewood size (18 inches long and under 10 inches in diameter), do not put them at the curb. Bring them to the recycling center where they are repurposed as free firewood for residents.
About Warren Waste Management
Upgraded Recycling Cart Requirements
The City of Warren is actively phasing out the use of small red recycling bins for standard households. Residents are now strongly encouraged to utilize the large 95-gallon city-issued recycling carts. These robust carts are provided at no extra charge upon request. To ensure automated trucks can safely service your home, remember that recycling carts must be placed at least five feet away from your standard garbage bins at the curb.
Navigating Freon and Large Appliance Disposal
Warren offers incredibly convenient curbside bulk appliance pickup, but specific safety rules apply based on the item. If you are discarding a refrigerator or freezer, you must completely empty it and remove the doors to prevent entrapment; however, the city will handle the Freon. Conversely, if you are throwing away an air conditioner or dehumidifier, you must hire a licensed refrigerant recovery company to remove the Freon and attach a proof sticker before the city will collect it.
Comprehensive Yard Waste Seasons
Organic compost collection in Warren operates on a strict seasonal schedule, running from April 1st through December 1st. During this time, residents can dispose of grass, leaves, and small brush using their designated blue compost cart with a brown lid, or standard 30-gallon biodegradable Kraft bags. Once curbside collection pauses for the winter on December 2nd, residents must haul any late-season yard debris directly to the Flanders Recycling Center.
Exclusive Drop-Off Access at the Flanders Recycling Center
Warren residents with valid identification have exclusive access to the municipal Recycling Center located on Flanders Avenue. This facility is a massive asset for households undertaking deep cleaning, as it accepts furniture, motor oil, electronics, scrap metal, and limited DIY construction materials. Contractors and commercial vans are strictly prohibited, ensuring this tax-funded resource remains dedicated entirely to local residents.
Managing Heavy Bulk and Building Materials
While the Sanitation Division generously collects household furniture and rolled carpet at the curb weekly, they draw a hard line on structural building materials. Items like doorwalls, glass windows, garage doors, bricks, dirt, shingles, and concrete will never be collected curbside. Residents tackling major home renovations must either rent a private roll-off dumpster or utilize specialized transfer stations in Macomb County.
Drop-off Facilities
City of Warren Recycling Center
25801 Flanders Ave, Warren, MI
Materials Accepted
Macomb County Environmental (Household Hazardous Waste)
Macomb County Health Department (Locations Vary)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Warren provide recycling carts for free?
Yes. Households have the option to recycle using large 95-gallon recycling carts, which are available upon request at no charge. You simply need to contact the Sanitation Department at 586-775-1400. Additional trash or compost carts cost $60.
How do I safely throw away an old refrigerator in Warren?
You can leave your old refrigerator at the curb on your regular trash day. However, it must be completely empty and the doors must be removed to prevent entrapment. You do not need to drain the Freon from a refrigerator or freezer.
Can I throw away an air conditioner on bulk trash day?
Yes, but unlike refrigerators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers must have the Freon removed prior to pickup by a licensed refrigerant recovery or heating and cooling company. A proof sticker must be attached to the appliance before the city will take it.
When does yard waste collection stop for the winter?
Curbside compost collection ends on December 1st and resumes on April 1st. During the winter off-season, there is no curbside pickup, but you can bring yard waste to the Flanders Recycling Center year-round.