The collection of solid waste, yard waste, and recyclable materials is performed by Waste Management of Michigan for the city by contractual arrangement.
Collection Schedule
Solid waste and yard waste are collected each week on Tuesday. Curbside recycling is collected every other Tuesday depending on which side of Division Road you live. For a schedule please click here.
Collection is delayed one day for Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving Day if the holiday falls on a Monday or Tuesday. In such cases, collection will take place on Wednesday.
Payment for Services
The cost for collection services for each property in the city that has collection pickup is placed on the summer tax roll and collected when the summer taxes are paid.
Bags
The city does not use stickers or other methods of identification for collection bags as many other municipalities opt to do. Bags may be purchased from grocery and hardware stores.
Collection Information
Residents may use disposable plastic bags with a capacity not to exceed 32 gallons and a loaded weight not to exceed 50 pounds. Residents may also use reusable containers made of plastic, metal, or fiberglass with a capacity not to exceed 32 gallons and a loaded weight not to exceed 50 pounds.
It is the resident's responsibility to see that containers, bags, bundles, and bins are placed at curbside, or as close as practicable to collection vehicle routes, by 7:30 a.m. on the designated collection day.
If a resident follows this procedure and is skipped, please contact City Hall at 586-727-7571. The resident may also contact Waste Management directly at 866-797-9018.
Special Pickups
The contractor may decline to collect any containers, bags, bundles, or bins not so placed; any containers that contain sharp objects or liquids; or any residential refuse not properly contained. Construction debris from demolished structures and/or new construction will not be picked up unless previous arrangements are made between the resident and contractor at an agreed upon price. Call Waste Management at 866-797-9018 to make arrangements.
Under the City of Richmond's contract, Waste Management no longer requires that refrigerant be removed from white goods / bulk goods.
Hazardous Waste
The term "hazardous waste" has been around a long time but is usually thought of in conjunction with industrial manufacturing processes. There are items around the house that are frequently used and discarded that are not thought of as hazardous waste, but still qualify. Paint, painting accessories, caustic cleaners, automotive coolants and lubricants, pesticides, and numerous other petroleum products are considered residential hazardous waste.
Please do not dispose of these types of products with the household trash, dumping them down the sink drain, or any storm drain.
Refrigerant Announcement
Under City Code and state law is unlawful for any person to leave outside of any building or dwelling, or in a place accessible to children, any abandoned, unattended, or discarded icebox, refrigerator, trunk, or any other container of any kind which has an air-tight door or lock which may not be released for opening from the inside of the icebox, refrigerator, trunk, or other container, without first removing the locks or doors therefrom.
Proper Disposal
To find out how to properly dispose of these types of products, and any others that you are not sure about, contact the Environmental Health Services Division of the Macomb County Health Department at 586-469-5467 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.