Yard Waste and Brush

Yard Waste Collection

Yard waste collection is provided seasonally from April through the end of November each year, with compostable materials collected weekly on regular trash pickup days.

Yard waste includes: plant material such as leaves, grass clippings, small twigs, prunings, shrub clippings, pumpkins, branches, brush, flowers, roots and other material commonly thrown away in the course of maintaining yards and gardens from city residences.

This does NOT include garbage, food, plastic, synthetic fibers, lumber, human or animal waste.

Set Out Instructions:

Yard waste must be placed in Kraft yard bags or in a 32-gallon or smaller container with handles that is marked Yard Waste Only.
Bags and/or containers cannot weigh more than 40 pounds when filled.
City crews will not collect yard waste material placed into plastic bags, cardboard boxes, grocery bags or other unapproved containers.
Kraft paper yard waste bags may be purchased at local retail and hardware stores.

NOTE: The City of Bay City is not responsible for personal containers and lids that are lost or damaged.

Now Offering-Tied & Bundled Brush Collection

Starting this year, weekly brush collection will be provided along with weekly yard waste collection, according to the following preparation guidelines:

Brush must be tied and bundled or placed in yard waste containers and/or bags.
Small branches will be considered brush and must be tied and bundled with natural fiber cord that is biodegradable (cotton, linen or twine). Bundles tied with wire, plastic, or nylon cord will not be picked up.
Each bundle must be: No more than 40 pounds in weight; No longer than 4 feet in length; No more than 18 inches around.
Bundles must be placed between the curb and sidewalk or at the edge of the roadway; not in the curb line or on the pavement.
Placement of debris in the street is a traffic and safety hazard and is a violation of City Ordinance.

All materials will be chipped. Please ensure that there are no foreign objects (i.e., metal, building materials, rocks, etc.) included as these could cause damage to the equipment or injury to those operating the equipment.

Loose Brush Collection

Stack brush neatly between curb and sidewalk with cut ends facing in one direction. Branches should be no larger than 5" in diameter.
Keep brush piles away from obstacles such as fire hydrants and utility poles and maintain safe line of sight distance for pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Remove root balls and place with yard waste collection. Pickup of larger amounts of brush and limbs resulting from a tree removal requires use of a tree removal or landscape service.
City crews are not responsible for the removal of brush produced by contractors.

City's East Side

Set brush out by the 1st of each month. City crews will collect brush beginning from the south end city limit working north, from the 1st through the 15th of each month.

City's West Side

Set brush out by the 15th of each month. City crews will collect brush beginning from the south end city limit working north, from the 16th through the end of each month.