Sterling Heights, MI Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Collection frequency
- once per week
- Extra pickups
- billable special collection
- Service
- city's exclusive waste contractor
- Special collection fee
- set annually by City Council
Summary
Sterling Heights runs curbside refuse, recycling, and yard waste collection once a week on the day assigned to each address; anything picked up outside that regular weekly round is a billable special collection under the city code.
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, prunings, shrub clippings, garden waste, old potting soil and dirt incidental to minor yard work, and bundled tree or shrub branches less than six inches in diameter or less than four feet in length. Twigs, prunings and shrub clippings shall not exceed pencil-thin. YARD WASTE COLLECTION SEASON. A period each year scheduled by the City Manager during which a separate yard waste collection service is provided throughout the city. (1978 Code, § 15-1; Ord. No. 115-C, § 1, 1-20-87; Ord. No. 115D, § 1, 4-7-92; Ord. No. 115-E, § 1, 1-7-97; Ord. No. 392, §§ 1 - 2, 12-18-07; Ord. No. 494, § 1, 4-2-24)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-46: Local legislation current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 23's definitions section sets the baseline: routine service is a regularly scheduled once-per-week collection of refuse, recycling, and yard waste through the city's exclusive waste contractor. Anything outside that regular round, an unusual volume, or a pickup outside the routine day, is defined as a 'special collection' under § 23-1, arranged through the Office of Public Works and priced under §§ 23-19 and 23-20. Single-family homes, duplexes, condos, and townhouses all get their service through the same contracted weekly route rather than a resident's choice of private hauler.
Violations & Fines
Waste beyond the regular weekly allotment isn't guaranteed pickup; under § 23-19(C), the city and its contractor aren't obligated to make special collections for volumes exceeding what's provided under the regular weekly service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does Sterling Heights pick up trash?
What if I generate more trash than my weekly service covers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sterling Heights
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Collection Schedule in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle collection schedule.