Lansing, MI Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Yard waste in plastic bags
- Not picked up by Public Service crews
- Container weight limit
- 30 pounds maximum
- Brush
- Must be neatly bundled for pickup
- Burning yard waste
- Banned citywide
- Set-out window
- 4 p.m. day before to 7 a.m. after
- Uncorrected nuisance fee
- Billed to owner, liened on tax roll
Summary
Lansing bans plastic bags for yard waste pickup: Section 1060.04(c) requires City-approved containers holding no more than thirty pounds, and Section 1060.04(d) requires all brush to be neatly bundled under the City's pre-collection standards. Burning yard waste anywhere in the City is separately prohibited, and set-out containers exceeding the weight limit can be cited as a nuisance.
(c)Yard waste in plastic bags will not be picked up by public service department employees from residential sites of generation. Specifications for City-approved collection containers for yard waste shall be promulgated by the City through its Public Service Director. The contents of the containers shall not exceed thirty (30) pounds.(d)All brush shall be neatly bundled in accordance with the City's pre-collection requirements.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
02 as leaves, grass clippings, garden debris, shrubbery, or brush and tree trimmings under four feet long and two inches in diameter that convert to composted humus; the definition excludes stumps, agricultural waste, animal waste, roots, sewage sludge and garbage. 04(c) is explicit that yard waste in plastic bags will not be picked up by Public Service Department crews from residential sites of generation. Instead, the Public Service Director sets the specifications for City-approved yard waste containers, and whatever container is used, its contents cannot exceed thirty pounds.
04(d) adds a separate rule for brush: it must be neatly bundled according to the City's pre-collection requirements before it goes to the curb, rather than piled loose. 05). 03(f)). 08).
Violations & Fines
An over-limit or bagged yard-waste set-out that is not corrected within 24 hours of the City's written notice is declared a public nuisance under Section 1060.08 and can be abated at the owner's expense, with the cost placed as a lien on the property tax roll. Separately, any Chapter 1060 violation is a civil infraction carrying fines of $25, $50, or $250 per calendar year under Section 1060.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put yard waste out in a plastic bag in Lansing?
How do I set out brush for collection?
Can I burn leaves or branches instead of setting them out?
What if my yard waste container is left at the curb too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lansing
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