Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Ypsilanti
Trash Day
Trash is collected weekly Monday through Thursday depending on your neighborhood street route.
Recycling
Collected bi-weekly (alternating Week A or Week B) on your regular collection day.
Yard Waste
Collected bi-weekly on your recycling pickup day, operating seasonally from April through late November.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential curbside trash, recycling, and seasonal yard waste collection are provided by the city and funded through municipal property taxes. Water and sewer services are billed separately by the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA).
Billing Cycle
Included in Property Taxes
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, Phone, In Person, Drop Box
City-issued Cart (Serial Number and Logo visible) Bin (Trash)
Trash must fit completely inside the cart. Garbage that protrudes more than 4 inches from the top of the cart will not be collected. Place carts exactly 4 feet away from obstructions like fire hydrants, trees, and other bins.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Bagged refuse
City-issued Cart with RFID tag Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be placed loosely inside the cart. Do not bag your recycling in plastic bags, as crews will reject the cart to prevent facility contamination.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers (No. 1, 2, and 5)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Flattened cardboard (grease-free)
- ✓Newspaper, junk mail, and mixed paper
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Wet paper and cardboard
- ✕Food-soiled materials
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers and electronics
Yard Waste Bin
Place in 30-gallon Kraft paper bags or repurposed trash cans bearing an official 'Yard Waste' sticker from City Hall. Yard waste and recycling are collected on the same day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small twigs and branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Fridays Only (Pre-scheduling required)
Placement
Place your scheduled bulk item at the curb at least 4 feet away from your trash cart after 6:00 PM the night before your Friday collection.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (tables, chairs, dressers)
- ✓ Couches and loveseats
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be wrapped in plastic and taped)
- ✓ Carpet and pad (cut into 4-foot rolls, max 40 lbs per bundle)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Car and truck parts or engines
- ✕ Concrete, bricks, and roofing debris
- ✕ Tree stumps and large pieces of drywall
- ✕ Wet paint cans and hazardous waste
One bulk item per week is collected for free. Additional bulk items scheduled for the same day will incur a cost of $20 each.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a major holiday falls on a weekday, collections for the remainder of the week are typically delayed by one day, with Friday pickups shifting to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste collection follows the same holiday delay schedule as standard trash during the active compost season.
Always check the official City of Ypsilanti calendar or the DPW holiday schedule for precise dates, as schedule changes can vary by hauler routing.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring & Fall
Variable (Announced by DPW)The City of Ypsilanti hosts highly anticipated 'Double Trash Weeks' once in the spring and once in the fall, allowing residents to dispose of excess household refuse beyond the standard limits.
Winter
December - MarchDuring Michigan snowstorms, it is crucial to keep carts out of the plow's path. Do not place your carts on top of snowbanks or directly in the street. Shovel a flat space behind the curb for placement.
All Seasons
Year-roundIf your recycling needs exceed your cart's capacity, Ypsilanti residents can sign up for a free drop-off pass to utilize the Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station for bulk cardboard and extra recyclables.
Local Tips & Community Info
Navigating Ypsilanti's Weekly Trash Collection
For residents living within the City of Ypsilanti and surrounding areas, residential waste management is a crucial service designed to keep neighborhoods clean and safe. Curbside garbage and recycling pickup is primarily managed by Priority Waste. Standard household trash is collected on a weekly basis, with routes typically running Monday through Thursday depending on your specific street or subdivision. To ensure your bins are serviced without issue, residents are advised to place their rolling carts out by 7:00 a.m. on the morning of their assigned pickup day. Please avoid blocking sidewalks or placing bins where they might obstruct street traffic.
Recycling Guidelines for a Greener Community
Ypsilanti strongly encourages participation in the local recycling program to help divert reusable materials from the landfill. Priority Waste handles curbside single-stream recycling, meaning all approved items can be mixed directly into one cart. Acceptable materials include flattened cardboard boxes, clean plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and mixed household paper. It is highly important to leave these items loose in your recycling cart. Bagging recyclables in plastic grocery sacks causes major disruptions at the sorting facility and can result in your bin being bypassed by the early morning collection crew.
Disposing of Yard Waste and Leaves
During the active growing seasons, Ypsilanti provides seasonal yard waste collection. Homeowners can set out organic debris such as grass clippings, fallen leaves, and small twigs alongside their standard trash bins. To comply with city guidelines, all yard waste must be placed in compostable Kraft paper bags or inside 35-gallon rigid containers clearly marked with a 'Yard Waste' decal. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited for compost materials. Branches and brush must be tied into manageable bundles no longer than four feet to ensure they can be safely loaded onto the sanitation trucks.
Bulk Item Pickup Procedures
When it comes time to discard oversized items that simply will not fit inside your regular trash cart, the city has a system in place. Priority Waste allows for the disposal of large bulky items such as old mattresses, broken furniture, and major appliances. Depending on your exact location within the city or township, you may need to call Priority Waste customer service ahead of time to schedule a bulk pickup to ensure the proper truck is dispatched for the heavy load. Keep in mind that hazardous materials like wet paint, tires, and motor oil are never accepted in the bulk collection.
Holiday Collection Delays
Like most major sanitation providers, Priority Waste observes six primary national holidays throughout the year: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. If your standard collection day falls on or after one of these holidays during the work week, your service will be delayed by exactly one business day. For instance, if a holiday lands on a Monday, Monday routes will be collected on Tuesday, and Thursday routes will be shifted to Friday. Normal scheduling resumes the following week.
Drop-off Facilities
Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station
2950 E Ellsworth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who provides curbside trash collection in Ypsilanti?
Curbside trash and recycling services in the City of Ypsilanti are primarily handled by Priority Waste, with collection routes running Monday through Thursday.
How should I dispose of yard waste in Ypsilanti?
Yard waste must be placed in compostable Kraft paper bags or in a rigid 35-gallon container clearly marked with a yard waste sticker. Plastic bags will not be collected.
Will my trash day change if there is a holiday?
Yes. If a major observed holiday falls on a weekday, trash and recycling collections for that day and the remainder of the week will be delayed by one business day.