Grand Rapids, MI trash pickup schedule

Grand Rapids trash and recycling: who collects, how often, how to find your pickup day, and what changes on holidays in 2026.

Population 201,183 (Census 2025 estimate)Last checked October 30, 2026Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.

Contents10 sections

Quick answer

Who collects	The city collects City of Grand Rapids Public Works runs an opt-in, pay-per-tip refuse service (residents sign up and prepay; you pay only when the cart is tipped). Recycling is funded by a property tax millage. Residential service is for properties up to 8 units. The city pages do not say whether private haulers also serve residents.¹
How often	Trash weekly, recycling every other week, yard waste weekly in season, on regular collection day, when tagged/set out¹⁹¹⁴
Set out	at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day (night before recommended); move the cart back the same day⁶
Your pickup day	Zone map: grandrapidsmi.gov. App: City of Grand Rapids Trash and Recycling Route Map (ArcGIS) · Look up your day here
Holiday	Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026: Delayed one day. listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Thursday routes collected Fri Nov 27, Friday routes Sat Nov 28; Mon-Wed unchanged (2026 Recycling Schedule November: Thursday Route 7 '12, 27', Friday Route 9 '13, 28')⁵

Bulk items: On-call pickup: call or book online (details). Drop-off sites: 1 listed (hours and fees).

Grand Rapids holiday trash schedule 2026

City’s rule	Trash and recycling collection is delayed one day in the weeks of the listed holidays (2026: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas). The 2026 Recycling Schedule shows the delay applies from the holiday through the end of that week: routes on and after the holiday move one day later and Friday routes are collected on Saturday; days before the holiday are not affected. Other holidays (e.g. MLK Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day) are not delays.⁵¹³
Official notice	grandrapidsmi.gov
Schedule 2027	2027 Recycling Schedule PDF is published (same red one-day-delay legend); the holiday page does not yet list 2027 holidays¹⁶

Grand Rapids trash pickup on holidays, 2026
Holiday	Date	Pickup	What the city says
New Year's Day	Thu, Jan 1, 2026	Delayed one day	listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Thursday routes collected Fri Jan 2, Friday routes Sat Jan 3 (2026 Recycling Schedule: Thursday Route 8 '2, 15, 29', Friday Route 10 '3, 16, 30' in January)⁵
Martin Luther King Jr. Day	Mon, Jan 19, 2026	Not on the city’s list	Not on the city’s list for this year
Presidents' Day	Mon, Feb 16, 2026	Not on the city’s list	Not on the city’s list for this year
Memorial Day	Mon, May 25, 2026	Delayed one day	listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Mon-Fri routes each one day later; Friday routes collected Sat May 30 (2026 Recycling Schedule May: Monday Route 1 '11, 26' ... Friday Route 9 '1, 15, 30')⁵
Juneteenth	Fri, Jun 19, 2026	Not on the city’s list	Not on the city’s list for this year
Independence Day (Fourth of July)	Fri, Jul 3, 2026	No change	Not on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays list; the 2026 Recycling Schedule shows Friday Route 10 collected on its normal day Fri July 3 ('3, 17, 31').¹³
Labor Day	Mon, Sep 7, 2026	Delayed one day	listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Mon-Fri routes each one day later; Friday routes collected Sat Sep 12 (2026 Recycling Schedule September: Monday Route 2 '8, 21' ... Friday Route 10 '12, 25')⁵
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day	Mon, Oct 12, 2026	Not on the city’s list	Not on the city’s list for this year
Veterans Day	Wed, Nov 11, 2026	Not on the city’s list	Not on the city’s list for this year
Thanksgiving Day	Thu, Nov 26, 2026	Delayed one day	listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Thursday routes collected Fri Nov 27, Friday routes Sat Nov 28; Mon-Wed unchanged (2026 Recycling Schedule November: Thursday Route 7 '12, 27', Friday Route 9 '13, 28')⁵
Christmas Day	Fri, Dec 25, 2026	Delayed one day	listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Friday routes collected Sat Dec 26; Mon-Thu unchanged (2026 Recycling Schedule December: Friday Route 9 '11, 26')⁵

Check your own day for the next three holidays with the holiday delay checker, or download a pickup calendar.

Sources: Holiday Delays for Trash, Recycling and Yard Waste Collect…, 2026 Recycling Schedule (PDF), 2027 Recycling Schedule (PDF) Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Bulk trash pickup in Grand Rapids

How it works	On-call pickup: call or book online⁴
How to request	Buy a $40 bulk sticker (City Hall or participating stores) and attach it, or pay online (no sticker needed) and set the item out by 7:00 a.m. the next business day; usually collected within one week (Service Guidelines page says the City strives to collect within three to five business days of set-out)⁴⁷
Limits	one sticker per item (each sectional piece needs one; mattress + box spring together = one); max item size 6 ft x 5 ft; fridge/freezer doors removed⁴
Fees	$40 per item⁴
Not accepted	televisions⁴
Items	Sticker items: appliances (washers, dryers, water heaters, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, air conditioners, humidifiers/dehumidifiers, garbage disposals, trash compactors, furnaces); furniture (bed frames, buffets, couches, dressers, hutches, love seats, recliners, stereo cabinets, wall units); household items (bathtubs, box springs, garage doors, glass or wood doors, mattresses, sinks, sliding doors, window awnings)⁴
Penalty	Large items set out without a sticker are not collected and the owner may get a violation⁴

Sources: Bulk Item Collection, Service Guidelines - PAYT & Recycling Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Recycling in Grand Rapids

Pickup	every other week¹
Type	single-stream⁸
Glass	accepted in cart⁷
Plastics	#1-#7⁷
Missed pickup	call 311 or 616-456-3000 after 3:00 pm on collection day, within 1 business day¹⁸

Accepted

cardboard (empty, clean, broken down)⁷
glass bottles and jars⁷
plastics with recycling symbol #1-#7⁷
milk, juice and soup cartons¹²
metal cans, bottles and foil¹²
plastic bottles, cups and containers (rigid #1-7; no foam or flexible plastics)¹²
cardboard and paper¹²

Not accepted

bagged recyclables⁷
plastic bags of any type⁷
hazardous or medical waste, biological waste, Styrofoam, shredded paper, yard or food waste, construction debris⁷
hard cover books, plastic film wrap, batteries⁸

Programs

Recycling carts 64 or 96 gallons, funded by property tax millage¹
Recycling is free for all City residents with access to public streets (sign-up required)⁸

Sources: Materials Management (Public Works), Service Guidelines - PAYT & Recycling, Single Stream Recycling Program, Kent County Recycling Guide (June 2022; Kent County DPW gu…, Report a Missed Recycling Pickup Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Yard waste, food scraps and seasonal pickups

Yard waste pickup	Yes⁹
Season	first full week in April through the second Friday in December (weather dependent)⁹
How often	weekly in season, on regular collection day, when tagged/set out⁹
Rules	96-gal yard cart ($30 one-time) with a $6.50 yellow tag per empty; City paper yard bags $2.75 (max 30 lb); green bulk tag $2.75 for bundles (max 4 ft long, 2 in diameter) or non-city paper bags; no sod, dirt, stones, stumps⁹
Food scraps	No curbside food scraps. Renew Grand Rapids (launched 2026): free food-scrap drop-off for City residents at 7 MetroStor bins across the city, 24/7 access via the MetroKey app; sign up at publicinput.com/renewgr¹⁷
Christmas trees	Not published by the city (official page)
Leaf collection	Leaves go out in City paper yard waste bags or the yard cart during yard waste season, or to the free resident drop-off site⁹

Sources: Yard Waste Services, Food Waste (Renew Grand Rapids) Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Drop-off sites: landfill, recycling and hazardous waste

City yard waste drop-off site

Type	Compost / yard waste site
Run by	city (operated by vendor WeCare Denali)
Address	2001 Butterworth St SW, Grand Rapids, MI · Map⁹
Hours	Early April to 2nd Saturday in December: Mon-Sat 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; winter: Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; closed New Year's Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas⁹
Fees	No out-of-pocket cost for Grand Rapids residents; retail $10 per cubic yard⁹
Who can use it	Grand Rapids residents (bring ID)⁹

Item guides: Mattress · Couch and furniture · Appliances · Paint · Batteries · Electronics · Tires · Motor oil · Christmas tree.

Sources: Yard Waste Services Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Missed pickup and contacts

Missed pickup form	grandrapidsmi.gov (phone only: call 311 / 616-456-3000 within 1 business day)¹⁰
Phone	616-456-3000⁷
311	311⁷
Official website	grandrapidsmi.gov

Sources: Service Guidelines - PAYT & Recycling, Report a Missed Trash Pickup Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Nearby cities

All Michigan cities: Michigan trash pickup schedules.

Grand Rapids trash pickup FAQ

What day is trash picked up in Grand Rapids?

Trash is collected weekly. Grand Rapids does not use one citywide day: your day depends on your address. Look it up with the city’s zone map (grandrapidsmi.gov) or the City of Grand Rapids Trash and Recycling Route Map (ArcGIS) app.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving Day 2026 in Grand Rapids?

Thanksgiving Day falls on Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Delayed one day: listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Thursday routes collected Fri Nov 27, Friday routes Sat Nov 28; Mon-Wed unchanged (2026 Recycling Schedule November: Thursday Route 7 '12, 27', Friday Route 9 '13, 28')

Is trash picked up on Christmas Day 2026 in Grand Rapids?

Christmas Day falls on Fri, Dec 25, 2026. Delayed one day: listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Friday routes collected Sat Dec 26; Mon-Thu unchanged (2026 Recycling Schedule December: Friday Route 9 '11, 26')

Is trash picked up on New Year's Day 2026 in Grand Rapids?

New Year's Day falls on Thu, Jan 1, 2026. Delayed one day: listed on the 2026 Holiday Collection Delays page. Thursday routes collected Fri Jan 2, Friday routes Sat Jan 3 (2026 Recycling Schedule: Thursday Route 8 '2, 15, 29', Friday Route 10 '3, 16, 30' in January)

How do I get rid of bulky items in Grand Rapids?

On-call pickup: call or book online. Buy a $40 bulk sticker (City Hall or participating stores) and attach it, or pay online (no sticker needed) and set the item out by 7:00 a.m. the next business day; usually collected within one week (Service Guidelines page says the City strives to collect within three to five business days of set-out) Fees: $40 per item.

Does Grand Rapids recycle glass?

Glass: accepted in cart.

How do I report a missed trash pickup in Grand Rapids?

Use the city’s online form (grandrapidsmi.gov) or call 616-456-3000.

Sources

1
Materials Management (Public Works)City · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
2
Request Trash, Recycling, or Yard Waste ServicesCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
3
Trash and Recycling Route MapCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
4
Bulk Item CollectionCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
5
Holiday Delays for Trash, Recycling and Yard Waste CollectionCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
6
Look Up Trash and Recycling Pickup DatesCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
7
Service Guidelines - PAYT & RecyclingCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
8
Single Stream Recycling ProgramCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
9
Yard Waste ServicesCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
10
Report a Missed Trash PickupCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
11
Purchase Blue City Trash BagsCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
12
Kent County Recycling Guide (June 2022; Kent County DPW guide hosted on the city site)County · media-002-us.cdn.govstack.com · checked October 30, 2026
13
2026 Recycling Schedule (PDF)City · media-002-us.cdn.govstack.com · checked October 30, 2026
14
Trash Pick Up Schedule (route-to-day PDF)City · media-002-us.cdn.govstack.com · checked October 30, 2026
15
GR_Refuse_Routes ArcGIS layer (city GIS)City · services2.arcgis.com · checked October 30, 2026
16
2027 Recycling Schedule (PDF)City · media-002-us.cdn.govstack.com · checked October 30, 2026
17
Food Waste (Renew Grand Rapids)City · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026
18
Report a Missed Recycling PickupCity · grandrapidsmi.gov · checked October 30, 2026

Something changed? Report a change

Second-pass verification against every source: October 30, 2026. Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.