Curbside Pick-Up Collection Guidelines

Recycling Cart Guidelines

  • Placed out by 7 am on your weekly service day (It is recommended that full carts be placed at the street curb the night prior to your service day to avoid having a late set-out. All documented late setouts will have to wait until the following week for service)
  • Materials fit loosely inside cart, do not bag your recyclables
  • Lid must be closed
  • Metal lift bar faces the street
  • 3 ft away from other carts and obstacles (Carts need to be 3 ft away from parked vehicles, mailboxes, street sign poles, building walls, fences, and other items) 
  • 15 ft of overhead clearance (Additionally, carts need to be placed 3 ft away from overhang spots like under tree branches, telephone poles, pole guidelines, building overhangs, downspouts, gutters, etc. (See example below)
Cart Under Overhang
  • Clear of snow or ice
  • Does not exceed weight limits (Carts must not exceed 112 pounds for the 32-gallon, 224 pounds for 64-gallon, or 336 pounds for the 96-gallon size. Carts over the limit will not be serviced)
correct cart placement

Material Guidelines

  • Materials must be empty, clean, and dry
  • Plastics: only #1, #2, or #5 plastic bottles, tubs, and containers accepted
  • Do not bag your recyclables, place them loose in your recycling cart
  • No trash or unaccepted items
accepted materials

Materials Not Accepted in Single-Stream Curbside Cart

  • Soft plastics: plastic bags, bubble wrap, etc.
  • Batteries, lightbulbs, or electronics
  • #3, #4, #6, and #7 plastics: styrofoam, PVC
  • Yard waste, compost, or food waste
    (Put in a lawn bag or in a City of Ann Arbor compost cart. For more information visit: https://www.a2gov.org/departments/trash-recycling/Pages/Compost.aspx)
  • Hardcover books and shredded paper (No bagged shredded paper)
  • Biodegradable plastics (PLA or BPI)
  • Paint, oil, medical waste, or syringes
  • Ceramics or Pyrex dishes or tempered glass
  • Construction debris, wood, window pane, and mirror glass
  • Textiles or furniture (Sheets, clothes, bedding)

For materials not accepted in the curbside cart, check if they're accepted at our Drop-Off Station here.

Check out our A-Z Recycling Guide for more on what can and cannot be recycled. 

See our hangtag version here

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