Dearborn and Wayne County property owners and community managers: simplify recycling and yard-waste compliance while boosting resident satisfaction. National Doorstep’s valet trash, recycling, and composting-friendly service aligns with the City of Dearborn Solid Waste Ordinance and the Wayne County Solid Waste Management framework to reduce contamination and avoid fines — all with a turnkey, inspector-friendly program built for apartment and multifamily communities.
Under Dearborn Code Chapter 16, Sec. 16-7 (“Recycling program”), all “sites of generation” — including apartment and multifamily properties — are subject to mandatory recycling and mandatory composting (yard waste). Owners and residents must separate recyclables and yard waste from trash, use approved containers, and follow strict set-out rules. Wayne County’s Solid Waste Ordinance No. 2004-787 and its Solid Waste Management Plan require municipalities to operate recycling and composting programs and report how much material is recycled and composted each year, keeping regional pressure on local compliance.
- NOI & Property Value Lift: Clean, code-aligned trash, recycling, and yard-waste areas support better curb appeal, fewer complaints, and stronger resident retention.
- Resident Convenience & Cleanliness: Doorstep collection and optimized enclosures cut down on overflowing carts, loose bags, and improper set-outs that trigger violations.
- Compliance Simplified: Program design that matches Dearborn Chapter 16 (Secs. 16-5, 16-6, 16-7) and the Wayne County Solid Waste Management Plan — including yard-waste composting requirements.
- Code-Backed Design: Inspector-friendly container layouts, signage, resident education, and documentation built around the city’s and county’s enforcement tools.
At a Glance: City of Dearborn vs Wayne County (Multifamily Recycling & Yard Waste)
City of Dearborn
- Mandate Type: Mandatory Recycling and Mandatory Composting (yard waste) for all sites of generation under Sec. 16-7. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Applicability Threshold: Applies to all owners, lessees, and occupants of any site of generation — including apartment and multifamily communities of any size. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Recycling Duties:
Residents must:
- Separate recyclable materials (excluding yard waste) from trash and place them in the city-issued recycle cart.
- Keep unacceptable waste (e.g., hazardous items, bulky debris) out of carts and containers. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Yard-Waste / Composting Duties:
- Separate yard waste (grass, leaves, small brush) from trash and place it out for pickup on the scheduled collection day. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- Use 20–32 gallon reusable containers with a Dearborn yard-waste sticker or paper yard-waste bags on Public Service Days; never use plastic bags or cardboard boxes. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
- Place containers/bags on the property easement, not in the street, and follow seasonal collection windows (mid-March through mid-December, as set by the city/hauler). :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
- Set-Out Rules: Under Sec. 16-6, all solid waste and recyclables must be placed on the grass easement or alley edge — never in the public street — and set out before the collection time window. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
- Key City Links:
Sec. 16-7 – Recycling Program (Mandatory Recycling & Composting)
Sec. 16-5 – Containers & Penalties
Sec. 16-6 – Location for Collection
Dearborn Trash, Recycling & Yard-Waste Overview
Public Service Days & Yard-Waste Brochure (PDF)
Wayne County & State Framework
- Mandate Type: County-level solid-waste and recycling framework via Wayne County Ordinance 2004-787 and the Wayne County Solid Waste Management Plan; municipalities (like Dearborn) run their own recycling and composting programs consistent with the plan. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
- Municipal Reporting: Section 250.3 of the ordinance requires municipalities to submit annual waste-stream reports showing how much waste is recycled and composted. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
- Landfill Acceptance: A sanitary landfill in Wayne County may not accept waste from any municipality unless that municipality has a recycling program consistent with the county plan; landfills must obtain certification from each municipality. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
- Facility & Compost Site Oversight: All county solid-waste facilities — landfills, transfer stations, processing plants, and composting facilities — are inspected by Wayne County staff to ensure compliance with county and state regulations. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
- State Yard-Waste Policy: Michigan law restricts landfilling of yard debris and encourages curbside yard-waste and composting programs, which Dearborn’s mandatory yard-waste separation helps satisfy. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
- Key County & State Links:
Wayne County Solid Waste Ordinance 2004-787 (PDF)
Wayne County Solid Waste Management Plan (PDF)
Wayne County Municipal Recycling & Composting Data
EGLE – Leaf Litter & Yard-Waste Composting
Fines & Penalties Snapshot
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City of Dearborn – Recycling & Yard-Waste Non-Compliance:
Dearborn uses both a general penalty and section-specific fines to enforce its recycling and composting program:
• General Penalty (Sec. 1-9): Where no specific penalty is set, violations of the Code may result in fines of up to $500 per violation, up to 93 days in jail, or both, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
• Container Requirements (Sec. 16-5): After one written warning, an individual who violates container specifications (including improper use or placement of trash, recycling, or yard-waste containers) is subject to:
– First offense: civil infraction, $100 fine.
– Second or subsequent offense within one year: misdemeanor, $300 fine. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
• Location & Set-Out (Sec. 16-6): Placing carts or yard-waste containers in the street, or outside permitted time/location requirements, can be cited and escalated under the general penalty if not corrected. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
• Mandatory Recycling & Composting (Sec. 16-7): Failing to separate recyclables or yard waste from solid waste is a violation of the city’s mandatory program. Because no specific fine is printed in this section, the general penalty framework (up to $500 and/or 93 days per day of violation) can apply. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}Authoritative Links:
Sec. 1-9 – General Penalty · Sec. 16-5 – Containers; Penalties · Sec. 16-7 – Recycling & Mandatory Composting -
Wayne County – Solid-Waste & Facility Compliance:
Wayne County’s Solid Waste Program focuses on facilities and municipal systems rather than individual apartment buildings, but its enforcement powers drive city-level compliance:
• Regulates and inspects all county solid-waste facilities (landfills, transfer stations, processing plants, and composting sites) for compliance with county and state law. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
• Requires that landfills only accept waste from municipalities with recycling programs consistent with the county plan; violations can lead to enforcement actions and potential civil penalties under the ordinance and state law. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
• Requires municipalities to report annual residential recycling and composting data; persistent underperformance or non-compliance can trigger additional scrutiny and corrective measures. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
While apartment properties are primarily enforced under Dearborn’s code, this county framework helps ensure that local recycling and yard-waste programs are in place and actively maintained. - Tip: By maintaining service contracts, enclosure maps, and a simple record of resident education and site inspections, your community can usually resolve issues at the warning or civil-infraction level instead of seeing repeat violations escalate into higher fines.
Property Manager Compliance Checklist (Dearborn & Wayne County Multifamily)
| Task | Action / Requirement | Authoritative Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction & Ordinances |
Clarify which rules apply to your community:
• Inside the City of Dearborn: Your apartment or multifamily property is a “site of generation” under Sec. 16-7 and must follow mandatory recycling and yard-waste separation rules. • Elsewhere in Wayne County: Check your municipality’s solid-waste and recycling codes; all communities are expected to have programs consistent with the Wayne County Solid Waste Management Plan. • State Layer: Michigan’s yard-debris landfill restrictions mean that yard waste should be diverted through composting or curbside yard-waste programs rather than landfilled. |
Dearborn Sec. 16-7 – Recycling Program Wayne Co. Solid Waste Management Plan (PDF) Michigan Yard Debris Restrictions |
| ☑ Subscribe to Required Recycling & Yard-Waste Service |
Ensure your property has active, documented service for trash, recycling, and yard waste:
• Confirm your hauler collects recyclables in city-approved carts and yard waste in paper bags or labeled 20–32 gallon containers. • Align collection days and routes with Dearborn’s Public Service Days so residents know exactly when to set out carts and yard-waste containers. • For any self-hauling or supplemental services, retain disposal tickets and service agreements in your compliance file. |
Dearborn Trash, Recycling & Yard-Waste Current Municipal Hauler Information |
| ☑ Containers, Corral Layout & Signage |
Design container areas that make compliance easy:
• Provide enough trash, recycling, and yard-waste containers to prevent overflow and wind-blown litter. • Place containers on private property or in enclosures, and only move them to the grass easement or alley edge during the permitted collection window — never in the travel lane of the street. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19} • Physically separate recycling carts and yard-waste staging areas from trash to reduce contamination. • Post durable signage showing: – What belongs in recycling (paper, cardboard, metals, acceptable plastics). – What belongs in yard waste (grass, leaves, small brush) and what is prohibited (plastic bags, food scraps, animal droppings). |
Sec. 16-5 – Container Specs & Penalties Sec. 16-6 – Location for Collection Dearborn Service Days Brochure (PDF) |
| ☑ Resident Education & Communication |
Build a simple, repeatable education plan:
• Provide written recycling and yard-waste instructions to residents at move-in and at key points in the year (e.g., spring yard-waste season, fall leaf season). • Use door hangers, community boards, email/portal messages, and on-site signage to reinforce: – How to prep recycling (rinse containers, break down boxes). – How to prep yard waste (paper bags or labeled 20–32 gallon cans, bundle size/weight limits). – Where and when to set carts and yard-waste containers. • Keep copies of all resident communications (PDFs, screenshots, physical handouts) in your inspection file. |
City Brochure – Rules for Residents EGLE – Residential Composting Guidance |
| ☑ Documentation & Avoiding Daily Fines |
Create an “inspection-ready” binder (digital or physical) for your community:
• Current trash, recycling, and yard-waste service agreements and invoices. • Photos of container areas showing signage, separation of streams, and general cleanliness. • Logs of resident education (dates, channels, and content). • Notes from internal walk-throughs and corrective actions taken (e.g., re-labeling carts, adjusting container counts, updating signage). With this documentation, you can demonstrate good-faith compliance if a Dearborn or county inspector visits and usually resolve issues before they escalate into higher daily penalties or legal actions. |
Sec. 1-9 – General Penalty Wayne County Solid-Waste Technical Program |
| ☑ Explore Voluntary Food-Scrap Composting |
Turn compliance into a sustainability selling point:
• While Dearborn’s ordinance focuses on yard waste, you can pilot voluntary food-scrap composting for interested residents. • Highlight organics diversion and greenhouse-gas benefits in your marketing and ESG reporting. • Coordinate with regional composting resources or private organics haulers to build a program that complements, not conflicts with, the city’s yard-waste requirements. |
EGLE – Composting Program Make Food Not Waste – Regional Food-Waste Resources |
Need a fast compliance check in Dearborn or Wayne County? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Dearborn or Wayne County apartment community — we’ll right-size your containers, draft resident education, and prepare inspection-ready documentation so you can avoid fines and stay ahead of local recycling and yard-waste requirements.
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