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 Compostables Collection 

 

Acceptable Curbside Compostable Containers

The city's seasonal curbside Compostable collection program runs throughout the growing season from April through November 31.  Materials must be set at the curb before 7 a.m. on collection day.

Trash cans will no longer be accepted for Compost effective Friday, June 30, 2008

Until June 30, 2008, yard waste may be placed into resident-supplied 30-35 gallon trash cans, with handles, and marked with a Compostable label. Free labels are available from the Customer Service Center, 220 E. Huron, 994-2807, or by calling 24-hours, 99-GREEN. Branches may not stick out beyond the top of the container. Each can may weigh up to 50 pounds.

Compost may be prepared for municipal collection in any of the following methods:

30-gallon paper bags
Place yard debris into large paper bags, available from local retailers. Each paper bag may weigh up to 50 pounds. Plastic bags are not accepted for storing compostables (plastic bags are acceptable for storing refuse inside of A2 Carts or dumpsters).

Bundles
Branches under six inches in diameter may be cut into 3-4 foot lengths and tied with twine into bundles up to 18 inches in diameter. Each bundle may weigh up to 50 pounds.

NEW! Optional Compost Carts
The city sells special 96-gallon wheeled carts for compost collection. Compost carts pre-ordered and pre-paid by May 30, 2008 will be home delivered June 9-27. Unwanted compost cans will be collected by the city from curbside at no charge on the normal curbside collection day, the week of July 7-11. Full information is provided at www.a2gov.org/carts. Click here for full Compost cart program information.

Acceptable Compostable Materials

Includes materials such as: properly-contained leaves, garden prunings, weeds, crab apples, Halloween pumpkins and tree branches up to 6 inches in diameter.

Unacceptable Compostable Materials

Includes refuse, stones, food waste, branches over 6 inches in diameter or over 4 feet in length, materials improperly prepared for collection, and prohibited materials.

Free Drop-Off of Compostables for A2 Residents

Ann Arbor residents may drop-off up to 1 cubic yard per visit of acceptable yard waste and grass clippings at no charge at the Wheeler Service Center during hours of operation. Residents check in at the MRF scalehouse, 4150 Platt before delivering materials to the designated area. 

Municipal Compost & Mulch Sales

Municipally-produced compost and mulch are available for sale at the Wheeler Service Center, 4150 Platt Road, (734) 971-8600 and at the Drop-Off Station, 2950 E. Ellsworth (734) 971-7400. Page link with more details.

Home Composting How-Tos

Home Composting Recipe & What is Compost? - Learn how to begin home composting. (new page)
Wonder Worm Bins - Directions to make a home worm bin. (2 page PDF)

Grasscycling Information

Grass clippings are not allowed for Compostable collection and are banned from trash, by state law. Save time and money by grasscyling your clippings right back into your lawn. 

"Feed your Lawn with Grass Clippings" brochure attached (2-page pdf)

Street Leaf Collection

The city currently provides two leaf collection pickups from the street in the late fall, in addition to collecting bagged leaves through the Compostable collection program. For details on leaf collection requirements and collection dates in your neighborhood, please see the street leaf collection web pages.  

Holiday Evergreen Tree Collection 

Christmas trees are collected from the curbside on the normal weekly refuse days during a one-week period January 14-18, 2008. All stands, nails, ornaments, lights, tinsel and plastic bags must be removed and discarded before placing out for collection. The trees are chipped and composted or used as mulch. Any metal, glass or plastic may ruin the processing equipment, harm the operators, and spoil the landscaping mulch.  Multi-family site managers can arrange for a special tree pickup by phoning the Customer Service Center at 994-2807 before the second week of January.

Evergreen trees may be dropped off 24-hours/day at the parking lot adjacent to the Drop-Off Station, 2950 E. Ellsworth, from mid-December through January. After January 30, Christmas trees must be delivered to the Drop-Off Station during operating hours for a small fee.

Wreaths and evergreen roping are generally made with wire or plastic backing and should be placed with the trash inside the A2 Cart. If the wreath is too large, please disassemble it to fit into the trash cart or take it to the Drop-Off area, listed above. Thank you! 

Qs? Contact customerservice@a2gov.org

 


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