City Guide
Trash and Recycling
Solid waste administration
The city's solid waste services office (994-2807, 24-hour information hotline: 994-7336) coordinates residential and commercial trash and recycling collection. Recycling services for businesses and residential recycling through a contract with Recycle Ann Arbor. Nonresidential trash dumpster pickups are coordinated through a for-fee franchise agreement with Waste Management. Trash must be placed on the curb in city-provided refuse carts before 7 a.m. on normal collection days. Persons with a physical handicap can arrange to have trash and recyclables collected from a side door at no charge (call 994-2807). Compostable yard waste is collected weekly Apr.-Dec. Compost carts cost $50 and can be ordered from the customer service center, 301 E. Huron; 30-gallon paper bags (available at local stores) and bundles of brush (less than 4' long, 18" in diameter, and 50 pounds) are also accepted. Ann Arbor has discontinued its fall street leaf pickup. Mulch leaves on-site, or place then in the regular curbside compost collection.
Call 994-2807 for information on trash and recycling services for apartments and businesses. Mandatory business recycling started April 2011; call 662-6288.
To dispose of large items, including furniture and appliances, call a private hauler or the Drop-Off Station (operated by Recycle Ann Arbor, 2950 E. Ellsworth, 971-7400, open Tues. and Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; $3 entry fee). There is no additional charge to dispose of household recyclables (see below). For a fee, the drop-off station also accepts large items and other materials that require specialized disposal, such as electronic devices and automotive fluids. The Materials Recovery Facility, at Ellsworth and Platt, processes recyclables and transfers trash from the city and 30 other communities and haulers.
Residential recycling collection is contracted to Recycle Ann Arbor, call 662-6288 with service problems or enter a customer service request online at a2gov.org. In July 2010, the city switched to "single-stream" recycling, with papers and containers placed together in one recycling cart. Carts can be picked up or exchanged at no charge at Recycle Ann Arbor, 2420 South industrial; home delivery/exchange is available for $25.
Recyclables must fit inside the cart with the lid closed. Materials accepted: office paper, newspapers, magazines, "junk mail," phone books, paperback books, paper bags, flattened corrugated cardboard, boxboard (cereal and tissue boxes, toilet paper rolls, etc.), glass containers, metal cans, foil, pie plates, and scrap metal, plastic bottles and tubs (marked 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 on the triangle on the bottom), empty aerosol cans, milk cartons, and juice boxes. Household scrap metal up to 1 cubic foot and 20 pounds may also go in this bin. All items also accepted at the Drop-Off Station.
Related Topics:
