Trash & Recycling in Sterling Heights, MI (2026)

Sterling Heights, MI Code of Ordinances § 23-21(A)

If any owner or occupant of any property places any waste which is rejected by the city waste collector because it does not conform to the requirements of this chapter, the city waste collector shall give notice to the owner or occupant of the premises by tagging the rejected waste. The tag shall advise the owner or occupant of the reason the waste was not collected and shall direct the owner o...

Sterling Heights, MI Code of Ordinances § 23-9(A)

It shall be the responsibility of all persons to have their refuse, recycling, and/or yard waste at the point of curbside collection by 7:00 a.m. of the day specified for collection. No refuse, recycling, and/or yard waste shall be placed at the curb or street for collection prior to 1:00 p.m. the afternoon before the scheduled collection day or after 3:00 p.m. on Fridays.

Sterling Heights, MI Code of Ordinances § 23-4(A)(1)

Large refuse items, such as appliances, furniture, carpeting, machinery, or the like, generated by single-family homes, duplexes, residential condominium complexes receiving curbside collection, or townhouses shall be broken down or disassembled and placed in approved receptacles as provided in § 23-2(A) or securely tied compact bundles which do not exceed 50 pounds in weight, three feet in len...

Sterling Heights, MI Code of Ordinances § 23-2(B), (D)

(B) Beginning on May 1, 2024, recycling generated by the following shall only be placed for curbside collection in a pre-assembled 65 gallon cart provided by the city's waste contractor: (1) Single-family homes; (2) Duplexes; (3) Residential condominium complexes; and (4) Townhouses. ... (D) Exception for residential condominium complexes. Residential condominium complexes that did not receiv...

Sterling Heights City Code §§ 23-11, 23-12

(A) No person may deposit or cause to be deposited, sort, scatter or leave any waste, filth or other offensive materials or build or maintain any structure or thing containing the same on any private property in the city except as permitted in this chapter. (B) No person may deposit or cause to be deposited any refuse in a mechanical container which is not owned, leased or authorized to be used...

Sterling Heights, MI Code of Ordinances § 23-26(A)(1), (B)(1)

Yard waste may be stored on the premises which generated the yard waste in approved bags or carts as provided in § 23-2(C) for less than one week prior to a scheduled city collection... Yard waste may be placed in approved bags or carts as provided in § 23-2(C) for collection on a regularly scheduled collection day. Yard waste shall not be mixed with other refuse.

Sterling Heights Code of Ordinances § 23-10(A)(1), (5), (6)

(A) Commercial establishments and residential condominium complexes not receiving curbside collection shall comply with the following regulations governing mechanical containers: (1) The owner, occupant, or user of a commercial establishment shall provide a mechanical container or containers of the type designed to be handled mechanically by refuse collection trucks, and the owner, occupant, ...

Sterling Heights, MI Code of Ordinances § 23-1 (definition of "Special Collection")

SPECIAL COLLECTION. Any collection of waste at a time other than the regularly scheduled once per week collection or of a volume or quantity of waste exceeding the limitations of this article whether requested by an owner or occupant or done by the city to eliminate a violation of the City Code.    WASTE. Refuse or yard waste.    YARD WASTE. Residential grass clippings, leaves, weeds, twigs, pr...