Dearborn, MI Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Who collects
- DPW or city-hired contractor
- Private disposal
- Prohibited outside city system
- Licensed haulers
- DPW can license private haulers
- Liability
- City not liable for receptacle damage
Summary
Dearborn requires every household to use the city's Department of Public Works or its licensed contractor for solid waste and recyclable material collection: no private disposal outside this system is allowed.
All domestic solid waste and recyclable materials complying with the terms and conditions provided for herein will be collected by the department of public works or the contractor hired by the city to collect, process and dispose of solid waste and recyclable materials; provided, however, that the city shall not be responsible for damage to receptacles.
(b) The department of public works may issue a license/permit to any person to collect and transport solid waste and recyclable materials, provided all the rules and regulations applicable thereto are strictly observed. (Ord. No. 90-495, § 7(b), 6-19-90)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Dearborn's Code of Ordinances, all domestic solid waste and recyclable materials are collected by the Department of Public Works or the contractor the city hires for that purpose; the city disclaims liability for any damage to residents' own receptacles during pickup. The department can also license a private hauler to collect and transport waste, provided all applicable rules are followed. Separately, the code bars anyone from disposing of city-generated solid waste by any means other than the city's collection service or a duly licensed waste hauler, making participation effectively mandatory for every site of generation in Dearborn.
Violations & Fines
Violations are enforced by Department of Public Works ordinance officers, who can issue warnings and civil or criminal court complaints under Sec. 16-2 for breaches of this chapter's collection requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Dearborn residents have to use city trash pickup?
Who actually picks up the trash in Dearborn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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Collection Schedule in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle collection schedule.