Yard Waste Pickup Resumes in Royal Oak

The following information is from the City of Royal Oak website:

What is Yard Waste?

Yard Waste includes: grass clippings, leaves, spent flowers & garden plants, weeds, pine needles, pine cones, acorns, chestnuts, walnuts, apples, Halloween pumpkins, vines, twigs, branches and other woody material up to 2-inch in diameter. (Put woody yard waste between 2- and 5-inches in diameter with regular refuse. Refer to brush clipping guidelines.)

How do I prepare yard waste for collection?

Yard waste may be placed in 32-gallon trash cans, clearly labeled with a “yard waste” decal, and facing the street so it can be easily spotted for pickup. Free Yard waste decals are available at the DPS office on Campbell Rd and at City Hall. Yard waste may also be placed in a 30-gallon paper yard waste bag, available at most hardware stores. Containers and bags cannot weigh more than 50 pounds each. Plastic bags are NOT acceptable.

Why must I separate these items?

Yard waste is banned from disposal in Michigan landfills. SOCRRA converts yard waste into compost, a useful nutrient rich soil amendment.

What about brush and branches larger than twigs?

Refer to brush clipping guidelines or below under “What is woody material?"

Is yard waste collected year-round?

No, weekly curbside collection is provided from April through mid-December.

What if I have yard waste when collection isn’t provided?

Royal Oak residents can bring up to 10 yard waste bags per day to the SOCRRA Transfer Station at 995 Coolidge in Troy at no charge from mid-December through March. No plastic bags. Please call SOCRRA at 248-288-5150 for more information.

Acceptable containers

Trash cans (20 to 32 gallon) with a "yard waste" bumper sticker decal, or paper landscape bags (no decal on bags). Plastic bags are not allowed.

Yard waste will not be picked up if

• It is in an unacceptable container.
• It has regular trash mixed in or woody material larger than 2" in diameter.
• It weighs over 50 lbs or is a container larger than 32 gallons.
• It is in a plastic bag. Plastic bags can no longer be used at any time for any yard waste.

Once the problem is corrected, set yard waste at the curb for collection on your next pick-up/collection day.

Please call SOCRRA at 248-288-5150 for more information.