Detroit Trash Pickup • Collection program & Accepted Products

Also known as the "Motor City," Detroit is one of the largest cities in the United States and, therefore, one of the largest garbage producers. This is significant, considering that the city has a population of around 670,000 inhabitants. Thus, a large number of resources are produced daily and handled by the city's Environmental Services Department.

Detroit's garbage collection service is responsible for collecting and properly disposing of the waste generated by the city's households and businesses. The process begins with the placement of waste in specific containers that are picked up by garbage trucks. These trucks transport the garbage to transfer facilities where recyclable waste is separated from non-recyclable waste.

Detroit's garbage collection program in detail

• For information regarding Detroit's garbage collection program, you should go directly to the city's website. It has detailed information on every aspect that may be useful to you.
• But for specific information, you will have to go to the "Departments" section where you will find each of the sections in charge of running the city.

• In this case, the one you need is the "Public Works" department, which is responsible for all kinds of services in the city related to the environment. Once you are on the department's page, you will find detailed information about all the services offered there. This, along with news and contact methods to solve any inconvenience

• In case you are looking for the recycling or garbage collection schedule, it is available in the "Find out when your recycling, trash, bulk & yard waste gets picked up" section, which is almost at the bottom of the pages.

• There, the system proposes a process to direct you to the city mapping. This is delimited with the marking of the days on which garbage is picked up in each area of the city.
• When you click on the map, you will see the following options to enter your data and receive detailed information. In the lower-right corner, you will see some colors where each color specifies the collection day.

Average price for garbage collection in Detroit

In the city of Detroit, two main factors can directly influence the amount to be paid for garbage collection, the location and the type of property. However, this cost is not directly perceived as a bill since it is included in the property tax that residents pay annually to the local government; included in this tax are the other public services offered there.

It is therefore worth considering another factor and that is that the cost of garbage collection can be directly affected by local policies and regulations. That is to say that at the time of charging a bill, the city may impose special fees either for the collection of bulky items or specific penalties.

Following with this, the most advisable thing to do to obtain specific information about the payment of garbage in the city is to always check the tax payment invoices. This way you can see if any kind of special charge is made for the service or if any penalty is imposed. Likewise, you can always contact the department and get additional information about the case.

What products does this program accept?

It is important to note that the city has a number of rules and regulations regarding waste disposal. For example, garbage must not be placed on the street for more than 24 hours before or after the collection day. Similarly, there is a limitation on what garbage will and will not be collected. Among the items to be collected are:

• Garbage bags with general kitchen and bathroom waste
• Food scraps and food containers
• Glass, plastic, and metal containers
• Paper and cardboard
• Clothes and textiles

However, this waste must follow the established assembly process to avoid any possible sanction by governmental entities. This is because we are talking about a city with many inhabitants, so the waste is also enormous. Therefore, the collection system seeks to enhance the collection in the best possible way.

Which products are not accepted?

The program also establishes a list of products that are strictly rejected during collection. These products must be collected by private companies or the user will have to contact the program to organize a specialized collection. This will normally have an additional cost.

These products include:

• Hazardous waste: chemicals, batteries, medicines, paints, and cleaning products
• Building materials: bricks, concrete, lumber, and plaster
• Large household appliances: refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, and air conditioners
• Products with flammable oils among their characteristics

Private companies you can hire in Detroit for garbage and recycling collection

In case you have any of the products that are not accepted, the main recommendation is to use a private company that will pick them up for you. Although this may be a bit pricier, it is actually the best option, especially in cases of hazardous waste. Some companies considered to be the best in the Detroit area are:

Does this program work on holidays?

Detroit's garbage collection service does not work on most holidays throughout the year. This means that service is suspended and then resumes on the next business day. That is, if the holiday falls on a Monday, garbage service will resume on Tuesday. In this case, taking Saturday as a working day to balance the service.

Following this, the holiday schedule would be as follows:

Garbage Collection Service Contacts

In case you need to contact the Detroit garbage service for any problems you can do so through the following means:

• Website: Through the website, the department seeks to keep you informed at all times regarding the garbage collection system.
• Email: Whenever you need to email DPW@detroitmi.gov
• Phone number: Through (313) 224-3901 the Detroit Public Works Department responds to any unexpected inconvenience you may have.
• Social Media: The Detroit Public Works Department has a presence on Twitter and Facebook, where you can get in touch for any inconvenience. Likewise, the City of Detroit has profiles on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

What time do they pick up garbage in Detroit?

As in other cities, the garbage collection schedule in Detroit can vary greatly depending on the location and route assigned to each neighborhood. So the time they come by your home in the city will depend directly on the schedule of the garbage collection system.

Likewise, garbage collection usually begins early in the morning, starting at 7 am. So after that time during the day, the collection truck could pass by your house without any problem. Therefore, it is recommended to place the container at the curb very early in the morning.

Another point to clarify is that during the winter, the frequency of collection is reduced to once every two weeks. Furthermore, It is possible that collection schedules may vary during holidays and special events. Therefore, it is recommended that you check with the Detroit City Services Department or your local garbage collection company for more accurate information on collection schedules in your area.