Garbage, Recycling, and Waste Removal

Citywide garbage collection is serviced by Car Trucking and recycling is serviced through the Southeast Oakland County Resource Recovery Association (SOCRRA). All residential areas are serviced weekly on a set schedule – Monday through Friday. Garbage and recycling may be placed at your street curb at 4:00 p.m. the day before your scheduled pickup, but no later than 7:00 a.m. on the day of your scheduled pickup.
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Holiday Delays

The City does not collect garbage and recycling on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If your collection day falls on one of these holidays, please set your garbage and recycling containers at the curb the following day – this will produce a delay for the days of the week following the holiday. Please note: If a holiday falls on a Sunday, collection will not be affected or delayed.   

waste container Guidelines

Garbage cans must be purchased by residents only, adhering to the following guidelines: The container must be metal or plastic, 35 gallons or less, weighing no more than 50 pounds, with secure covers and handles. Waste should be neatly bagged, with no scattered or loose debris, and should not protrude from the container. Recycling bins are provided free of charge via DPW. To request a recycling bin, please call DPW at 248-546-2519.

To schedule special garbage pickups, including days other than your regularly scheduled trash day, or for large amounts of waste, please contact Car Trucking at 586-791-8480.
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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.

What Goes Where?

Confused about which items go in your garbage or recycling cans? As a rule of thumb, if an item doesn't go in your recycling container and it is not a functional, reusable item that you can donate, it most likely goes into your garbage container. SOCRRA’s Waste Wizard tool is a very helpful search engine for understanding which materials are allowed in your recycling bin.

For more information about recycling and zero waste practices, visit the Zero Waste page.

Have questions about how to dispose of a specific item? View the list below for guidelines and instructions.

• Tree, brush, and wood: Must be cut into 6-foot lengths, bundled, and tied, with cuts facing the same direction. Logs must be cut in 3-foot lengths, stacked neatly, and must weigh under 50 lbs. Tree stumps are not permitted, so please contact SOCRRA for a special pickup.
• Construction Waste (drywall, decking, etc.): Must be bounded, with no more than 50 lbs. in each bundle. A maximum of 5 bundles is permitted.
• Paneling and drywall: Must be cut into 4x4" pieces, bundled, and tied, with no nails showing.
• Metal poles, piping, and gutters: Must be cut into 8-foot lengths, bundled, and tied.
• Carpet and padding: Must be rolled into 6-foot lengths and tied, and weigh no more than 50 lbs.
• Paint cans: Must be completely dried with lids removed. Otherwise, please take them to the SOCRRA drop-off facility.
• Glass: Must be broken into pieces and places in a metal container. No sheets of glass are allowed.
• Broken concrete: Broken concrete, clean and free of wire, (no bricks or cinder blocks) can be taken to the Ferndale City Yard, located at 521 E. Cambourne.
• Motor oil and vehicle batteries: Motor oil and vehicle batteries to the Ferndale City Yard, located at 521 E. Cambourne. Please contact the Yard at 248-546-2519 before delivering. Used motor oil from cars, trucks, lawnmowers, etc., should be transported in a tightly sealed plastic gallon jug. Reuse the empty plastic jug, if possible, or dispose of it in the dumpster next to the oil receptacle. Do not mix used oil with gasoline or any other fuel. Wet cell batteries from cars, trucks, boats, etc., should be transported in a secure box.
• Radioactive materials, hazardous materials (volatile cleaning fluids, chemicals, acids, caustics, drugs, explosives, poisons, and batteries), roofing, vehicle engines, transmissions, or tires, construction or building materials, and dirt and rocks are NOT accepted.