Curbside Recycling Services

Curbside mixed recycling is offered to residents free of charge via Southeast Oakland County Resource Recovery Association (SOCRRA). To participate, simply purchase a recycling cart from the Department of Public Works and set it at the curb on your regular garbage pickup day. 

What you can put in your recycling cart:

• Bottles and jars—any color
• Plastics—food containers, detergent bottles, cat litter buckets, shampoo bottles, and more
• Paper-based food and beverage boxes—milk cartons, juice boxes, and paper cups
• Metals—cans, small scrap items, foils, and more
• Paper—newspapers, magazines, catalogs, paperback books, and more
• Cardboard (unfolded, flattened, and bundled)

SOCRRA is now a mixed recycling facility, which means that sorting is not required. For more about accepted items and preparation guidelines, visit SOCRRA. 

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WHY RECYCLE? Recycling costs less than landfill dumping. By recycling, we divert material from entering our landfills. It also provides a rebate on the amount of recycled material, lowering overall costs for the City, residents, and businesses. Not to mention all the feel-goods you get by helping preserve our environment.

Drop-off Center

The SOCRRA drop-off center is open and free to the public. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday 7am and 1pm. The drop-off center accepts all mixed recycling items, cardboard (please flatten the boxes!), metal scraps, styrofoam (no packing peanuts), plastic bags, plastic wrap, hard cover books, VHS tapes, cassettes, CDs, bottle caps, clothes, and shoes. They also accept household hazardous waste and electronics.

Also available to residents is a self-service paper shredder. Hours of operation for paper shredding are Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 7am-1pm

Yard Waste & Compost

Did you know that you can throw your light kitchen waste in with your yard waste? Through SOCRRA's curbside yard waste pick-up you can throw in your kitchen waste items such as fruit and vegetable scraps— peels, rinds, seeds, nuts, or other byproducts. You can also include clean fill dirt, potting soil, garden soil, wood shavings and ash, and untreated wood. For a full list, check out this guide.

Through the yard waste program, SOCRRA provides free compost for all Ferndale residents. Look for the compost piles throughout the City at these locations:

• Department of Public Works - 521 E. Cambourne St.
• Geary Park - 1198 Earle Blvd.
• Harding Park - Mapledale St.
• Kulick Center - 1201 Livernois St.
• Martin Road Park - 1615 E. Lewiston Ave.
• Wilson Park - 599 University St.

Household Hazardous Waste Disposal

SOCRRA's Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Center is open 6 days a week. Drop-Off Center is located at 995 Coolidge, Troy, MI (between 14 Mile and Maple).

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

Looking for waste information at the State level? Check out the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) website. Here is a fun video they created on recycling.