Yard trimmings at home Acceptable and unacceptable material Preparing compost & cart Yard trimmings drop-off & sales Free compost
June 12, 2020 Update: The City of Ann Arbor will resume curbside
compost service, starting with the collection of bundled brush, on Monday, June
15, 2020. Paper yard bag collection will then resume on Monday, June 22. Brush
and tree limbs, up to 6 inches in diameter, may be put out for collection if
they are 4 feet or less in length, tied with natural twine, and the bundle must
not be more than 18 inches in diameter. The city does not collect branches
larger than 6 inches in diameter or tree stumps. 
Dealing with compost and yard trimmings and organic material at home
Check out our tips page for those who want to explore composting and how to deal with yard trimmings at home.
Compost carts
The city is offering a compost cart, 64 or 96 gallon size, to any home that doesn't currently have one for a delivery fee of $59. To order a cart, please contact the Customer Service Center by phone at 734.994.7336, or via email at customerservice@a2gov.org. Supplies are limited. Orders for additional carts will be charged the additional cart fee. Please note that repeat orders will be placed behind first-time orders.
Carts exceeding 112 pounds for the 32-gallon, 224 pounds for the 64-gallon, or 336 pounds for the 96-gallon size will not be serviced.
Acceptable compost materials
- Plate scrapings and food waste (including meat and bones)*
- Bamboo dinnerware*
- Grass clippings*
- BPI certified compostable bags, containers, silverware, etc.
- Leaves and brush
- Branches less than 6 inches diameter (must fit in cart with lid closed)
- Unpainted, untreated lumber (must fit in cart with lid closed)
- Weeds
- Undecorated and cut up Christmas trees
- Garden pruning, garden surplus, crab apples, etc.
*Items for optional compost carts only.
Unacceptable compost materials
- Plastic bags or containers
- Trash and recyclables
- Dirt, rocks, stones or gravel
- Sawdust
- Branches over 6 inches in diameter or over 4 feet in length
- Painted or treated wood
- Animal waste or cat litter
- Tree stumps
- Diapers
Paper yard bags and bundled brush/tree limbs
Paper yard bags may be used for yard waste such as leaves, weeds and other vegetation. Bundled brush or tree limbs, four feet or less, can be tied with natural twine in bundles up to 18 inches in diameter, can be left at the curb for pickup. Individual tree limbs must be no more than 6 inches in diameter.
As bags can be difficult to
service at times while also posing a greater injury and health risk to staff,
we are encouraging all composters, who can, to take advantage of carts. If you
must use paper yard bags, please don’t overload them.
If you can’t lift it comfortably, neither can city staff.
Preparing compost and cart
Make sure to prepare your compost and compost cart properly for timely service and to avoid odors.
Yard material drop-off and sales
Ann Arbor's compost facility, located at 4170 Platt Road will be open for residents beginning on Saturday, June 6, 2020. The facility is operated by WeCare Denali, and open weekdays 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Saturdays between April and June from 8 a.m. to noon. Payments made be made by check or credit card only. Please visit WeCare Denali, or call 734.794.6380, for current fees and pricing. No cash accepted.
Ann Arbor residents may deliver 1 cubic yard per household, per day of acceptable yard waste materials, at no charge, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. A valid city of Ann Arbor driver's license or a recent water bill is required for this free service.
Visitors to the facility should also be aware that construction will be taking place Monday–Thursday, each week, on the roadway adjacent to the facility. A temporary driveway will be put in place during work, and visitors are encouraged to utilize Friday and Saturday for drop-off or pickup.
Acceptable drop-off materials include:
- Grass, leaves, other vegetation – must be clean and free of brush/wood.
- Mixed yard waste/brush/pallets (no plywood or OSB).
- Wood chips – must be clean.
- Food waste.
- Branches up to 6 inches in diameter.
In addition, residents will once again able purchase material. Sales from the facility are per cubic yard, and customers must weigh in and out.
Materials for sale include:
- Compost.
- Natural wood mulch.
- Pallet mulch.
- Woodchips.
Payments may be made by check or credit card only. Please visit WeCare Denali, or call 734.794.6380, for current fees and pricing. No cash accepted.
Free compost for Ann Arbor residents
Free compost or mulch, up to 1 cubic yard, is available, for a limited time. This material can be picked up on Saturdays only, 8 a.m.-noon, while supplies last.
In order to obtain free compost or mulch, a valid city of Ann Arbor driver's license or a recent water bill is required. The limit is 1 cubic yard of compost and/or mulch per household. Residents must visit the scale house before they begin pick up in order to verify their address.
Please note that this is a self-loading program; therefore, each resident must bring their own shovel and/or containers.
Everyone is asked to honor physical distancing requirements and stay 6 feet apart. The compost facility continues to be closed to the public for tours.
Compost facility tours
*The city's compost facility is currently closed for tours until further notice. Tours of Ann Arbor's composting facility are available to the public. Located at 4150 Platt Road in Ann Arbor, each 1 hour tour will include a description of industrial composting, overview of the equipment and facility as well as a look at the finished compost product. Tours start at noon on the second Wednesday of the month with one Saturday tour as noted below. There will also be tours during the Department of Public Work's Open House in October. Date to be determined.
*Cancelled June 10, 2020
Saturday: June 27, 2020 (Starts at 10 am)
July 8, 2020
August 12, 2020
September 9, 2020
November 11, 2020
For more information on the tours, please contact Don
Butynski 734.489.4518 or dbutynski@wecareorganics.com.
