Residential Brush Pick Up
Residential brush can be picked up in two ways.
Call
Call the Department of Public Services (DPS) at 248-589-2294. A DPS crew will be out within one week to chip the branches. There is a $25 charge for each 15 minutes or portion of 15 minutes, which will be processed and mailed to the home address within a couple weeks. Calls received by Wednesday will be chipped starting on Thursday and finished on Friday (weather permitting). This method allows us to compost the chips.
Garbage Pick Up
Cut your brush into 4-foot lengths and tie securely in bundles not to exceed 1 ½ feet in girth, and place them with your garbage. They will be picked up for no charge by our refuse contractor. It is recommended that no more than 5 bundles be placed out each week (GFL reserves the right to refuse pickup for an excessive amount of garbage placed at the curb) Unfortunately, this brush ends up in a landfill. Please note that this option is only available during the yard waste collection season; any brush outside this season must be kept until mid-April, or chipped by the DPS.
Preparing Branches for Chipping
To assist the DPS crew in chipping your branches quickly and efficiently, please note the following:
- As long as they are manageable for one person, longer branches can be chipped more quickly. Cutting the branches into smaller pieces means more trips to the chipper, and a longer total job. Most average chip stops are completed within fifteen minutes if laid out properly.
- Branches must be on the right-of-way, with the cut ends facing the same direction. Our crews cannot go onto private property.
- Help our crew help you! If there are thorns in the materials to be chipped, please inform the person who takes your call. This helps keep our crew from encountering an unpleasant surprise when they come to chip your brush!
- No stumps, root balls, or large logs. These will damage the chipper, and cannot be accepted by our crew.
Compost & Woodchips Available
Compost and/or woodchips are available, free of charge, to residents at the
DPS facility. Bring a container and shovel. The residents compost/wood chip bin is located in the parking lot to the right of the facility, outside the gate. Please do not drive through the gate into the DPS yard.