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Dearborn Heights, MI Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Disposal method
City or a city-licensed hauler only
Hauler license required
Yes, from the city clerk
Administering office
Public service administrator
Regulation notice period
30 days in a newspaper
First offense fine
$200 Class C infraction
Hauler license risk
Revoked after 3+ violations

Summary

In the City of Dearborn Heights, Section 17-29(a) bars anyone from disposing of solid waste originating in the city except through the city or a solid waste hauler it has licensed. Section 17-28 requires waste headed for collection to be stored and set out at the times and in the manner the city's regulations set, tying every household into the Central Wayne County Sanitation Authority's disposal system.

Sec. 17-28. - Collection, disposal of solid waste—From site of generation. All solid waste from any site of generation intended for collection shall be stored and placed for pickup and collection at the times and in the manner provided in the regulations. ... ... Sec. 17-29. - Same—In general. (a)No persons shall dispose of any solid waste originating within the city other than by means of the city or a waste hauler duly licensed by the city for such purpose. ... (d)No person shall engage in the business of collecting, transporting, delivering, or disposing of solid waste originating within the city without first obtaining a solid waste hauler license.

Full Breakdown

Sections 17-28 and 17-29 of the Dearborn Heights City Code implement the city's 1992 solid waste disposal and service agreement with the Central Wayne County Sanitation Authority, which operates the incinerator that handles waste from the city's constituent members under Act 641 of 1978. Section 17-28 requires all solid waste from any site of generation intended for collection to be stored and placed for pickup at the times and in the manner the city's regulations provide. Section 17-29(a) prohibits disposing of solid waste originating in the city except through the city or a waste hauler it has licensed, and subsection (d) requires any hauler collecting, transporting or disposing of solid waste in the city to first obtain a solid waste hauler license from the clerk, paying the fee set by council resolution and agreeing to comply with the article.

Section 17-29(f) bars a hauler from knowingly delivering hazardous waste to the plant. Section 17-31 puts the public service administrator in charge of administering the article and adopting collection rules, including the days and times of pickup, and Section 17-32 requires the council to publish any new collection regulation in a newspaper of general circulation at least 30 days before it takes effect, except in an emergency. Waste haulers who rack up three or more violations of the article risk suspension or revocation of their license under Section 17-30.

Violations & Fines

Section 17-30 makes any violation of the solid waste collection article a municipal civil infraction, with each day a violation occurs or continues counted as a separate offense. Chapter 17, Garbage, Rubbish and Litter, is a Class C infraction under Sec. 1-11(e): $200 for a first offense, $400 for a second within a year and $800 for a third or later offense, plus costs. Three or more violations by a waste hauler can also cost it its solid waste hauler license under Section 17-30.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hire any company to haul my trash in Dearborn Heights?
No. Section 17-29(a) bars anyone from disposing of solid waste that originates in the city except through the city itself or a solid waste hauler the city has licensed. Section 17-29(d) requires any hauler to obtain a solid waste hauler license from the clerk before operating.
Who sets the collection schedule?
The public service administrator sets and publishes the collection schedule under Section 17-31, and the department of public works posts the days and areas on the city's website. New collection regulations must run in a newspaper of general circulation at least 30 days before taking effect under Section 17-32.
What happens if a hauler keeps violating the rules?
Three or more violations of the solid waste collection article by a waste hauler can lead to suspension or revocation of its license under Section 17-30, on top of the municipal civil infraction fines the hauler already faces for each violation.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Dearborn Heights

All Dearborn Heights rules

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