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Grand Rapids, MI Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
City Code § 2.2, Chapter 25
Who sets schedule
City Manager, by Regulation
Included streams
Recycling, refuse, yard waste
Service area
All premises within city limits
Non-compliance risk
Service can be discontinued

Summary

Grand Rapids collects yard waste as part of its city-run Solid Waste program. The City Manager sets container types and pickup schedules for yard waste under Chapter 25 of the Code of Ordinances.

The Manager is hereby authorized to promulgate Regulations governing the collection and disposal of recycling, refuse, and yard waste; and establishing a schedule for the collection of the same. Such Regulations shall also provide for the type of containers acceptable for collection by the City. Solid Waste collection services shall be offered by the City to all Premises within the City in accordance with the Regulations.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).

Full Breakdown

Grand Rapids Code § 2.2 authorizes the City Manager to promulgate Regulations governing the collection and disposal of recycling, refuse, and yard waste, including the collection schedule and the type of containers the City accepts. Yard waste - grass clippings, leaves, brush, and small tree limbs - falls within the Code's broader "Rubbish" and "Combustible Waste" definitions (§ 2.1). The City sets the actual pickup calendar and container specs through its Solid Waste Regulations issued under this authority, and offers collection service to every premises within city limits under those Regulations.

Violations & Fines

Failing to use City-approved containers or ignoring the posted collection schedule can result in refused pickup and, under Sec. 2.3, discontinuation of the household's Solid Waste collection service until the violation is fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Grand Rapids have a set day for yard waste pickup?
The City Manager sets the collection schedule administratively under Sec. 2.2's Solid Waste Regulations rather than in the Code itself; check the City's posted collection calendar for the current schedule.
What counts as yard waste under the Code?
The Code's "Rubbish" and "Combustible Waste" definitions (Sec. 2.1) include yard clippings, leaves, brush, tree limbs, and stumps six inches or less in diameter.

Sources & Official References

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