The City of Ann Arbor will soon be adjusting its seasonal curbside compost collection guidelines to include a limit of 10 paper yard waste bags per weekly set out. This limit is an important safety measure to protect city public works staff from possible injuries that can result from lifting and loading bags. The 10-bag limit will be enforced after Monday, Sept. 4, 2023.
To help residents adapt to this change, the city will leave a sticker at locations exceeding the 10-bag limit. Residents must remove any excess bags from the curb and may place them out again the following week for collection. Stickers will also remind residents of the 50 pound per-bag weight limit.
Residents can also take advantage of the free leaf drop-off program available Oct. 2 through Dec. 15, 2023, at the city compost facility to drop-off excess bags of leaves. Additionally, single-family residential properties can get one FREE 64- or 96-gallon compost cart by contacting customer service at 734.994.7336 or customerservice@a2gov.org. Pickup is free, or a cart can be delivered for $59; additional carts are available for a fee. Visit www.a2gov.org/compost for sizes and prices.
Curbside compost collection also includes bundled brush or tree limbs, 4 feet or less, tied with natural twine in bundles up to 18 inches in diameter. Individual tree limbs must be less than 6 inches in diameter.
Participating residents must place their compostables at the curb before 7 a.m. on their weekly collection day — allowing at least 3 feet between each cart with clearance from any obstacles overhead. If there is a bike lane, carts must be placed on the lawn extension (the area between the road and the sidewalk or at the edge of your yard next to the street) instead. In some cases, especially those with protected bike lanes, carts will be placed in in the buffer zone, in the street, or other specified space.
For information on what is and is not allowed for curbside composting, please visit https://www.a2gov.org/departments/trash-recycling/Pages/Compost.aspx
Yard trimmings/waste must not be disposed of in parks because they may smother and kill plants they cover, disrupt normal decomposition processes, or introduce non-native plants to the area.
