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Oct 14, 2023

Yard waste services begin soon in Muskegon, Grand Haven areas

Municipal yard waste services and drop-off sites are opening soon throughout

Municipal yard waste services and drop-off sites are opening soon throughout Muskegon and Northwest Ottawa counties. (Ken Stevens | MLive file photo)

UPDATE: This story has been updated with information about Grand Haven's new yard waste drop-off location.

With the promise of warmer weather on the horizon, it's time to get outside and clean up the yard.

Municipal yard waste services and drop-off sites are opening soon throughout Muskegon and Northwest Ottawa counties.

Several West Michigan communities are beginning regular curbside pickup starting next week. Curbside vacuuming also will be accomplished in April and May.

Follows is a listing of local municipalities, the services they offer, and their schedules.

Muskegon

Curbside pickup of yard waste on regular garbage days begins Monday, April 3. Specific days of pickup can be determined by clicking here.

Leaves and grass trimmings must be in paper bags, or rigid 30-gallon containers marked "yard waste." Brush should be bundled in 4-foot lengths and bound with twine or rope. No limbs over 4 inches in diameter are accepted. Yard waste cannot exceed 30 pounds per bag, container or bundle.

Muskegon Heights

Curbside pickup of yard waste on residents’ regular garbage days begins the week of Tuesday, April 3.

Norton Shores

Leaf disposal sites open Saturday, April 1. Daily hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. until June 4.

Locations are Wellesley Road at Randall Road on the east side of Ross Park and 7249 Wood Road south of Pontaluna Road.

After June 4, the Wood Road site will be open on Saturdays and Sundays through Sept 30. Daily hours resume Oct. 1.

Both sites will be open until the first week of December.

Only paper bagged leaves at the Ross Park site. Leaves in paper bags or loose as well as small brush less than 3 inches in diameter are accepted at the Wood Road site.

Roosevelt Park

Curbside pickup on trash days begins Tuesday, April 4.

Chipping of larger branches set at the curb will occur on Mondays and will begin on April 3 unless there is significant snow present.

North Muskegon

Weekly waste pickup begins Monday, April 10, for the east side of the city (to Linderman Road) and on Tuesday, April 11, for the west side.

Yard waste must be placed in paper bags or a yard waste bin from Kuerth's Disposal, which are available for $6 per quarter. Personal yard containers are not permitted.

Service will be provided through Dec. 4 for east-siders and Dec. 5 for west-siders.

Loose leaf pickup will occur between April 17-29. Leaves should be placed at the street edge. No sticks, twigs or branches.

City staff will continue to provide curbside pickup of branches.

Whitehall

Vacuuming of leaves and grass clippings will be done from May 15-26. Residents should rake yard waste to the street edge and over cement curbs. No sticks, twigs or branches will be accepted.

Curbside brush pickup will occur the week of May 1. Brush should be placed at the curb by April 30. Brush should be in neat piles with cut ends facing the street and no larger than 3 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length.

Other times, residents should take yard waste to the White Lake Area Solid Waste Authority transfer station at 2100 W. Holton-Whitehall Road (details below).

Montague

Leaves and grass clippings can be taken to the city public works garage at 4976 Bowen Street at the corner of Cook Street. They must either be in biodegradable bags or loose. They also can be taken to the White Lake Area Solid Waste Authority (see below).

Curbside limbs and brush pickup will occur the week of May 22. Items must be out by May 21.

White Lake Area Solid Waste Authority

Yard waste can be taken to the White Lake Area Solid Waste Authority transfer station at 2100 W. Holton-Whitehall Road. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Payment is cash only.

The transfer station serves residents of Whitehall, Montague, Montague Township, Blue Lake Township, White River Township and Whitehall Township.

Grand Haven

Curbside yard waste pickup begins April 1. Paper bags or a container marked "yard waste" should be used.

Yard waste drop-off is at a new location on Harbor Island, and will not be at school sites this year. Drop-off dates are April 15, 22 and 29 and May 6, 13 and 20. Waste can be in biodegradable paper bags. Brush must be separated and tied with biodegrdable twine in bundles no longer than 4 feet with no branches larger than 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

Yard waste services, including the drop-off site, are for customers of Republic Services only.

Spring Lake Village

Leaf pickup will be April 10, April 17 and April 24. Leaves need to be raked onto the street shoulder or gutter by 7 a.m. the day before pickup. Residents on Savidge Street (M-104) will continue to bag leaves for crews to pick up. No landscaping, garden waste or ornamental grasses should be placed in the leaf pile.

Brush pickup will be the third Monday of each month starting on April 17. Brush should be curbside by 7 a.m. with cut ends facing the street. Limbs cannot be larger than 6 inches in diameter or 6 feet in length. The brush pile cannot be larger than 10 feet wide and 4 feet high.

Ferrysburg

Leaves in paper bags only may be dropped off on the west side of the city's public service garage, 545 Maple Street.

Curbside brush pickup will be the week of April 10, the second full week of the month, for those living west of U.S. 31 and the week of April 17, the third full week, for those on the east side of U.S. 31. Brush should be placed with cut ends facing in one direction.

Brush pickup will also be conducted the second and third full weeks of June, August and October.

Detailed information is available by clicking here.

TOWNSHIPS

Fruitport Township

There will be no yard waste drop off at township hall this spring, but there will be in the fall.

Muskegon Township

Curbside yard waste pickup will begin the week of May 8 for township sanitation customers. Pickup service also will be the weeks of June 5, July 3, July 31, Aug. 28, Sept. 25, Oct. 23 and Nov. 20.

All yard waste must be in paper yard waste bags.

Township residents can bring bulk leaves, grass clippings and limbs no greater than 4 inches in diameter to the yard waste drop-off site at the public works garage at 101 N. Quarterline Road beginning April 3. Bagged leaves must be in paper yard waste bags.

Drop-off site operating hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and until 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month from May through October.

Annual dumping passes are free for township sanitation customers and $20 for those who are not customers. Single-use passes are $5. Passes are available at township hall. A pass and photo ID matching the address on the pass are required. The site is expected to remain open until Nov. 17, weather permitting.

Laketon Township

The yard waste drop-off site on Green Creek Road behind township hall, 2735 W. Giles Road, is open. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during spring and summer. From Oct. 8-Dec. 3, there also will be Sunday hours from 1-5 p.m. All hours are weather dependent.

A $20 annual yard waste card is required and can be purchased with cash – exact change preferred – or check at the yard waste site. The site is for township residents only, and ID is required.

Grass clippings and leaves can be brought loose or in paper bags. Plastic bags must be emptied, and bags removed from the site. Brush and limbs up to 3 inches in diameter also are accepted.

Fruitland Township

The township drop-off site at the Ecology Station, 5281 Michillinda Road, is open year-round from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, and, starting Wednesday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays. Cost is $2 for small amounts and $5 for trailer and truck loads no more than 4 inches in diameter. Punch cards can be purchased at the center or township hall, 4545 Nestrom. The site is for township residents only.

Egelston Township

Leaf drop-off site, on White Road between Broton and Maple Island roads, is open year-round during daylight hours. The site is open to township residents only. No plastic bags are allowed.

Dalton Township

The Dalton Township Transfer Station, 291 E. Michillinda Road, is open year-round from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays from April 5 through Oct. 25. The transfer station is for Dalton Township residents only.

Leaves and grass can be dumped for free but plastic bags are not allowed. A $30 annual pass is required to dump brush up to 4 inches in diameter and includes recycling. Passes can be purchased at township hall, 1616 E. Riley Thompson Road, or at the transfer station with exact change or check.

Cedar Creek Township

The township transfer station, 6871 Holton-Duck Lake Road in Twin Lake, is open 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays year-round.

Whitehall, Montague, White River and Blue Lake townships

Yard waste can be taken to the White Lake Area Solid Waste Authority's transfer station. (Details above)

Grand Haven Township

Loose leaves can be dropped off behind Grand Haven Township Hall, 13300 168th Avenue, between April 3-23.

Spring Lake Township

Brush burn days are May 20, July 15, Sept. 16 and Nov. 18. Permits are required and applications are available by clicking here. Permits cost $10. No leaf burning allowed.

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