Curbside Recycling 

The City of Ypsilanti offers a curbside recycling program to help reduce your waste.  Properties that receive residential garbage pickup via the City are eligible for curbside recycling; some multifamily properties and commercial businesses may be eligible on a case by case basis.   Multifamily properties with up to 4 units and commercial businesses may be eligible to participate; please fill out this form for multifamily properties and this form for commercial businesses. 

Not interested in using the new, larger cart? Sign up for a Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station pass here!

New Carts and Big Changes in May 2023!

The City received a one-time grant to provide 96-gallon recycling carts to replace the small red bins used in our curbside recycling program. This change is allowing the City to shift to an every-other week collection schedule for both recycling and yard waste (but never fear- leaf season will be weekly).  This will help to offset the continuing cost increases that have been projected to have a significant impact upon the overall City budget (see page 16).

WHEN IS CURBSIDE RECYCLING COLLECTED IN MY AREA?

Your recycling is collected on the same day as your garbage, but is changing to every other week. Check your collection schedule below, using the links on this page, or by calling 734-483-1421.  Yard waste and recycling pickup will be on the same day; garbage pickup remains unchanged.

HOW DO I SET OUT MY CART PROPERLY ON COLLECTION DAY?

Place your cart on the curb after 6 p.m. the night before your collection day but no later than 6 a.m. on your collection day. Place the cart in the roadway within 3 feet of the curb, with the handle facing the house. Make sure the cart is accessible to our crews. Place it at least 3 feet from other carts and objects, but do not place it underneath short trees or behind mailboxes, lamp posts or parked cars, or on top of snowbanks.

We are moving to an every-other-week collection schedule!  Your collection day of the week will stay the same, but your dates will differ. "A" weeks start May 15; "B" weeks start May 22.  A routes and B routes are geographically arranged. See the maps below:

• Monday map
• Tuesday map
• Wednesday map
• Thursday map
• Friday map
• Printable Calendar of A & B routes
• List format

DO I HAVE TO PUT MY RECYCLING IN THE NEW CART?

Yes. Residents must use the new cart to set out recycling moving forward. Recycling should be placed loose in the cart, not in plastic bags.

WHAT MATERIALS CAN I PUT IN THE RECYCLING CART?

Your new cart comes with information about what can be recycled, and you can find a detailed list here on our website.  Nothing has changed about what materials can be recycled.  Here is what we collect in the recycling carts:

• Plastic bottles and containers (numbered 1, 2, and 5)
• Aluminum and steel cans
• Cartons
• Glass bottles and jars
• Cardboard (no food or grease, flattened)
• Newspaper, junk mail, mixed paper—all colors and types

All containers should be empty and dry. Replace caps on empty containers.

CAN I RECYCLE GLASS IN MY CART?

Yes, you can recycle glass bottles and jars in your cart.

CAN I RECYCLE HOSES, CORDS, WIRES, OR CLOTHES IN MY CART?

No. These items wrap around equipment at the recycling processing facility, creating a safety hazard for workers and causing facility shutdowns. Scrap metal, like chains and metal hangers, can be taken to the Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-off Station. More information about the DOS is available at cityofypsilanti.com/dropoff.

CAN I RECYCLE PLASTIC BAGS OR PLASTIC WRAP IN MY CART?

No. Plastic bags and wrap cause equipment jams at the recycling processing facility. Your household plastic film—like grocery bags, drink case wrapping, cling wrap, and bubble wrap—can be dropped off at almost any large retail or grocery store for recycling. Most people save up their clean and dry plastic film and take it to the grocery store every few months.

CAN I RECYCLE SHREDDED PAPER IN MY CART?

No, shredded paper must be placed in the garbage. The tiny shreds simply can’t make it through the recycling sorting process. Shredding also shortens the paper fibers and therefore cuts the recycled life of paper in half. 

SHOULD I BAG MY RECYCLABLES LIKE I BAG MY GARBAGE?

No. Do not bag your recyclables. Recycling should be placed loose in the cart— no plastic bags.

WHERE DO I STORE MY RECYCLING AND GARBAGE CARTS?

Please store your carts behind or beside your home, on or under a back porch, or inside your garage. Do not store them on the sidewalk in front of your home or at the curb.

A RECYCLING CART WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOME, BUT I DO NOT WANT IT. WILL YOU TAKE IT BACK?

No. Households must use the new carts to set out recycling moving forward.

WHAT IF I WANT A DIFFERENT SIZE CART?

We are not able to provide a different size cart. If you find you need a different cart size after using the one provided for about a month, please contact the Department of Public Services at 734-483-1421 or recycling@cityofypsilanti.com to discuss how to continue participating in the recycling program.

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY OLD BIN?

You are welcome to keep your old bin for additional recycling storage or other household uses. Do not refill your bin with recycling for pick up—starting May 22, all recyclables go into the cart. If you no longer want the bin, you can set it out for trash pickup (clearly labelled as trash).  It is not recyclable; please don't place it in the new bins.

WILL I BE CHARGED FOR THE NEW CART?

No. The City of Ypsilanti purchased these carts with grant funds from The Recycling Partnership, a national non-profit working to expand recycling access across the country and Michigan EGLE.

WHAT IF MY NEW CART IS STOLEN OR DAMAGED?

Each cart will be assigned to an address and can be identified by its RFID tag. If your cart is lost or stolen, please call the Department of Public Services at 734-483-1421 or recycling@cityofypsilanti.com. You may write your house number on the cart with a grease pen for easy identification. Additionally, a police report should be filed with the local police department immediately upon vandalism or theft.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY’S CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAM?

Currently, only City residential solid waste customers (those that receive garbage services provided by the City) are eligible to receive curbside recycling services. Multifamily properties with up to 4 units and commercial businesses may be eligible to participate; please fill out this form for multifamily properties and this form for commercial businesses.

Acceptable Materials

The full list of acceptable materials is available in image form here.

WRRMA Waste Wizard

Not sure how to dispose of something? The Waste Wizard is a great new interactive tool that can help you get your materials to the right place.