Southfield, MI Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest curb set-out
- 4:00 p.m. day before pickup
- Container must be in by
- Noon day after collection
- Between pickups
- Container must be out of street view
- Approved garbage can
- 10-20 gallon metal, tight cover
- Violation penalty
- Civil infraction, up to $500
Summary
Southfield residents must use approved garbage containers, ten to twenty gallon metal cans with tight covers or a city-authorized alternative, and keep them out of street view until collection day. Sec. 2.6 limits curb placement to no earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before pickup, with empty cans back out of sight by noon the next day, or it's a municipal civil infraction.
Garbage must be kept in metal containers of ten (10) to twenty (20) gallons' capacity, with metal handles or bale and tight-fitting covers or such other containers as may be authorized by the city. Garbage must be securely wrapped. Garbage and rubbish may be mixed. ... Containers and bundles shall be placed at the front curb or at the edge of the public street upon which the residence fronts, not earlier than 4:00 p.m. of the day before collection, and the empty containers must be removed therefrom no later than noon of the day following collection. Refuse containers, bundles, and materials shall be kept and stored in such manner so as not to be visible when viewed from the street upon which the residence fronts prior to being placed at the curb for collection. Any violation of this section shall constitute a municipal civil infraction and shall subject the violator to the civil fines and penalties as provided in section 1.703 of chapter 15 of the City Code.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 2.4 of the Southfield City Code sets the container standard for garbage: a metal can of ten to twenty gallons with metal handles or a bale and a tight-fitting cover, or another container the city has authorized. Garbage has to be wrapped securely, and the code allows garbage and rubbish to be mixed together in the same container rather than kept separate. Sec. 2.6 then controls when and where that container can sit outside. Containers and bundles go at the front curb or the edge of the public street the residence fronts, and not before 4:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection.
Once the truck has come through, the resident has until noon the following day to bring the empty container back in. In between pickups, Sec. 2.6 requires refuse containers, bundles and materials to be stored so they aren't visible from the street the residence fronts, meaning a can left out on the side of a house in open view of the road doesn't meet the standard even if it never reaches the curb early. Sec. 2.6 makes the consequence explicit: any violation of the section is a municipal civil infraction, carrying the fines set out in Sec.
1.703 of Chapter 15, up to five hundred dollars for a first offense and one hundred fifty to five hundred dollars for a repeat offense, plus costs.
Violations & Fines
Putting a container at the curb before 4:00 p.m. the day before collection, leaving an empty can out past noon the day after, or storing refuse containers where they're visible from the street between pickups is a municipal civil infraction under Sec. 2.6, punishable under Sec. 1.703: up to $500 for a first offense, $150 to $500 for a repeat offense, plus court costs, with each day of violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I just leave my garbage cans by the curb all week?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southfield
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