Detroit bulk trash pickup rules: what the City takes and what it doesn't

By Best In Business Services team · Last updated October 26, 2026 · Checked against the official sources listed below

How Detroit bulk pickup works

Detroit's Department of Public Works (DPW) collects bulk items at the curb on your scheduled day. Outlier Media reported weekly collection of recycling, yard waste and bulk starting June 3, 2024, but one City page still says bulk is biweekly, so confirm your schedule. To see your exact day, enter your address in the City's Waste Pickup Schedule tool, or text your street address to (313) 800-7905 for reminders.

The rules, from DPW's 2025 curbside guide

• Timing: put items at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day, and bring containers back by 9 p.m.
• Size limit: up to 2 cubic yards of bulk and renovation debris, about the size of two stoves. Don't put out more than 1,000 pounds or 2 cubic yards.
• Appliances: remove the doors and drain refrigerants first.
• Renovation materials: bag them in contractor bags or bundle them. Each piece must be under 4 feet long and wide and under 50 pounds. Loose debris on the curb is not accepted.
• Never at the curb: flammables, explosives, paint, batteries, medical waste, fuel, oil, tires, car parts, needles and chemicals. DPW points residents to the Household Hazardous Waste facility at 2000 E. Ferry St.
• Vacant lots: don't pile bulk in front of vacant lots on your block. DPW says it's less likely to be collected.
• Yard waste (late March to mid-December): paper bags or bundles, never plastic bags, and at least 6 feet from your carts.

Paid City pickup for bigger loads

For more than the curbside limit, DPW offers a paid bulk pickup. Fill out the request form or call DPW's Solid Waste Division at (313) 876-0004. DPW says it responds within one business day with an estimate based on size and weight. Most debris is accepted, including construction materials and couches. Everything has to be reachable from the front curb, though: DPW won't remove debris from garages, alleys or yards.

Free drop-off centers for residents

Detroit residents with ID can drop off up to 1,000 pounds or 1 cubic yard per person per day at DPW's citizen drop-off centers: Davison Yard (City pages list both 7901 and 8221 W. Davison, so confirm before you go), Southfield Yard (12255 Southfield Rd.) and J. Fons Yard (6451 E. McNichols). The centers take no household garbage, no construction or demolition debris, no chemicals, no car parts and no more than 4 tires. Hours change by season, so check the City's page before you go.

When a hauler makes more sense

The City's options work well for a few items. They don't fit well when:

• a whole rental, basement or garage has to be emptied before a new tenant moves in;
• the stuff is inside, upstairs or in the garage, since the City only picks up from the curb;
• there's more than 2 cubic yards, or a deadline, like an eviction, closing or turnover date;
• you're not a Detroit resident with ID who can make drop-off runs.

That's what BnB Junk Removal in Detroit is for. We carry it out, load it and haul it, and you text photos for a free quote. Hazardous items like paint and chemicals still need the proper facility.

Sources

• City of Detroit DPW: Curbside Collection Do's and Don'ts (2025)
• City of Detroit DPW: Bulk & Yard Waste
• City of Detroit DPW: Paid Pick-Up Bulk Collection Service
• City of Detroit DPW: Free Citizen Bulk Drop-Off Centers
• City of Detroit: Find Your Waste Pickup Schedule
• Outlier Media: All you need to know about trash pickup in Detroit (June 3, 2024)

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the official sources above before you rely on them.