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Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Lorain
Trash Day
Monday through Friday (assigned by neighborhood route)
Recycling
Weekly on the same day as regular trash
Yard Waste
Weekly on your regular trash collection day year-round
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash collection charges are billed monthly through the Lorain Utilities Department combined with water and sewer services.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, Drop Box, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Discounts are available for qualifying seniors (Golden Agers) and residents with disabilities through the Utilities Department.
Blue container with a black lid (95-gallon) Bin (Trash)
Place carts curbside by 7:00 a.m. on collection day (no earlier than 7:00 p.m. the night before). Arrows on the container must point towards the street.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Standard refuse
Dark blue container with a light blue lid (65-gallon) Bin (Recycling)
Empty and rinse all containers, remove caps, and place items loosely in the recycling cart. Do not bag recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass food and beverage bottles
- ✓Plastics marked #1 through #7
- ✓Clean cardboard and paperboard (e.g., cereal boxes)
- ✓Newspaper and junk mail
- ✓Milk and juice cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Shredded paper
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Dirt and stone
- ✕Food-soiled materials
Yard Waste Bin
Use brown paper bio-degradable bags, clear plastic bags, or a loose 32-gallon container marked 'YW' or 'yard waste'. Max weight is 35 lbs. Branches must be bundled under 4 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Brush
- ✓Christmas trees
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Every week on your regularly scheduled pickup day.
Placement
Place bulk items next to your blue trash container on your designated bulk collection day. Do not use contractor bags for excess trash.
Accepted
- ✓ Household furniture
- ✓ Wrapped mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Appliances (Freon removed and tagged; doors removed)
- ✓ Carpet and wood (cut to 4ft, rolled/tied, max 35 lbs)
- ✓ Flattened and tied cardboard boxes (max 4ft)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Freon appliances without a certified removal tag
- ✕ Appliances with doors still attached
- ✕ Large contractor trash bags
- ✕ Loose items in boxes
- ✕ Hazardous waste or construction debris
Weekly bulk pickup is included in standard waste collection services for Lorain residents at no extra charge.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Republic Services generally pushes residential pickup schedules back by one day if a major recognized holiday falls on or before your normal collection day.
Yard Waste Exception
Since yard waste and bulk items are collected on the same day as your standard garbage, their collection will also be delayed by one day during holiday weeks.
Always check the Republic Services app or website during holiday weeks to confirm your exact delayed pickup date, as schedules resume normally the following week.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December to JanuaryDuring the post-holiday season, Republic Services will pick up Christmas trees every week alongside regular trash. Just place the tree at the curb free of all decorations, lights, and bags.
Spring
March to MayIf you generate extra waste during spring cleaning, you can take advantage of the weekly bulk rules to place up to six 35-gallon bags of trash (max 35 lbs each) next to your cart without calling ahead.
Fall
October to NovemberLorain offers yard waste collection year-round, making fall leaf cleanup easy. Just ensure your leaves are placed in clear plastic bags, paper bags, or designated 32-gallon 'YW' cans, rather than your standard trash bin.
Local Tips & Community Info
Republic Services Partnership and Collection Times
In the City of Lorain, residential waste removal is managed through an established contract with Republic Services. To ensure your household refuse is picked up without issue, all garbage must be secured inside bags and placed into your designated trash container with the lid fully closed. Residents must push their carts out to the curb either the evening before their scheduled service or no later than 6:00 a.m. on pickup day. If you miss this early window, the automated trucks will not circle back, and you will have to wait until the following week.
Recycling Properly: Keep it Loose
Lorain emphasizes a strict protocol for its curbside recycling efforts to prevent contamination at the processing plant. You should only deposit clean cardboard, newspaper, metal food cans, and plastic bottles into your recycling bin. Unlike your regular garbage, recyclable items must never be put inside plastic grocery bags. Toss your items into the container loosely. Keeping styrofoam, window glass, and food-soiled containers out of the recycling stream is mandatory to maintain the integrity of the program.
Year-Round Yard Debris Regulations
Unlike some Ohio municipalities that limit organic waste collection to the fall and spring, Lorain offers year-round yard waste pickup. Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds must be packed into biodegradable brown paper bags or stored in personal 32-gallon plastic cans clearly labeled with “YW” or “yard waste”. These containers cannot weigh more than 35 pounds. For tree maintenance, any small branches have to be cut and bound into bundles no longer than four feet and under 35 pounds. Dirt, stones, and thick tree trunks are strictly forbidden.
Scheduling Heavy Bulk Removal
For massive items that cannot fit into your standard Republic Services cart, residents need to plan ahead for bulk trash pickup. Lorain households can arrange for the removal of large furniture, mattresses, and household appliances directly through the Republic Services online portal or by calling their customer support line. For safety reasons, any discarded refrigerators or washing machines must have their doors completely removed. Additionally, mattresses require complete plastic wrapping to protect sanitation workers during transit.
Automated Cart Placement Rules
The mechanical arms utilized by the hauling trucks require significant clearance to operate smoothly. Homeowners must leave a three-foot gap between their garbage cart, recycling bin, and any stationary objects such as parked vehicles or utility poles. When positioning the cart at the street edge, the lid hinges and the metal lifting bar must face the roadway. If possible, the city prefers residents to place their carts on opposite sides of their driveway to maximize the operational space for the mechanical claw.
Observed Holidays and Schedule Shifts
Republic Services recognizes six primary holidays that impact routing: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Whenever one of these major federal holidays falls on a weekday on or before your usual collection morning, your service will be delayed by precisely one day. During these holiday weeks, Friday routes will typically be collected on Saturday to complete the cycle.
Drop-off Facilities
Lorain County Collection Center
540 South Abbe Road, Elyria, OH 44035
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the weight limit for yard waste in Lorain?
All yard waste containers, including marked 32-gallon cans and branch bundles, must not exceed a maximum weight of 35 pounds.
Can I put my recycling in plastic garbage bags?
No. The City of Lorain requires all acceptable recyclables to be placed loosely into the recycling container to prevent jamming the sorting equipment.
What time do my garbage carts need to be at the street?
Carts must be positioned at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the morning of your scheduled collection to ensure they are not missed by the automated trucks.