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Refuse/Recycle/Yard Waste/Food Scraps Compost
Yard Waste/Food Scraps Composting Service
The Public Works Department provides weekly curb-side yard waste and food scraps composting service to all EGR properties annually. This begins on the Monday of the first full week of April, through Friday of the first full week of December.
**Yard Waste and Food Scraps Composting Service Rules and Regulations have been updated in 2026. To learn more please view the following memo**
Rules and regulations are as follows:
PDF-Rules and Regulations Link
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yard Waste/Food Scraps Composting Service Route Map:
For questions concerning collection routes, schedules, or rules and regulation, please contact the at 616-940-4870.
Household Trash / Refuse
Residents must hire a private waste-collection company for the collection of household trash. Companies must be licensed by the city. For a listing of currently licensed trash haulers, please contact the Finance Department at 616-949-2110.
Rear-Yard Pickup
East Grand Rapids requires "rear-yard pickup" of household trash. Trash containers should not be placed at the curb for collection. Waste containers must be kept next to the house or garage or out of sight behind the structure. This regulation is designed to keep the streets of the city from becoming cluttered with trash containers.
Recycling Program
City ordinance requires trash haulers to provide household recycling services at a unified fee as a component of trash collection. Recyclables may be collected by a separate truck or on a separate day, but must be included in the price charged to each customer. Contact your private waste hauler for specifics of their recycling programs.