Some of our trash will not be picked up by Waste Management. What kinds of "trash" won’t be picked up, and more importantly: what can you do with it?
Most trash items that won’t fit into a Courville container can be placed on the curb for bulk trash collection or yard waste collection. Advanced Disposal will pick up two cubic yards of bulk trash (about the size of a sofa). If you have more than that, you can put it out a little at a time.
Otherwise, you can take these large items to one of the Detroit DPW drop-off locations. There is no charge for residents with proper identification. The closest one to Boston-Edison is the Davison Yard, located at 8221 W. Davison (near I-96). The Davison Yard is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. through the end of March. Summer hours, beginning in April, are 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. The limit for items taken to the yard is 1000 pounds per person per day.
Advanced Disposal will not pickup construction/demolition debris or large tree stumps, and the Davison Yard will not accept these either. You will have to take these items to a landfill. The closest two are both near I-275 at Michigan Avenue:
Call these facilities for hours and prices.
If you are not able to take large items to the Davison yard or to the Wayne County landfill, the city of Detroit can remove it for you, for a fee. The charge for removing debris is based on the size and weight of the debris. For more information, see the Department of Public Works Paid Collection Service page, or call (313) 876-0049.
Alternatively, there are also local companies that will pick up and haul away trash for you.
Trash that is classified as hazardous cannot to go into Courville containers or into bulk trash. The list of prohibited items includes:
You can take most hazardous items directly to the City of Detroit Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Receiving Facility at 2000 E. Ferry Street (near the I-75 and I-94 freeways).
For Detroit residents, there is no charge. The HHW facility is open year-round, but only Monday through Friday, and only from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To make an appointment, call (313) 923-2240. The HHW facility accepts all hazardous waste listed above except ammunition/explosives and smoke detectors.
For other kinds of hazardous waste, disposal gets more complicated. Wayne County’s Department of Public Services publishes a guide to disposal or recycling of all kinds of hazardous and household waste. These include the waste listed already, as well as
The guide also includes information on places to recycle specialized items. For further detailed information on specific hazardous waste removal, the Michigan DEQ has detailed information on its website.