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Garbage, Recycling and Yard Waste Collection
Keeping Our City Beautiful
The City of Brookings, South Dakota offers garbage, recycling and yard waste collection service to its residents for a monthly fee of $18.00 per month, plus 6.5% sales tax (for a total of $19.17 per month). The following information details the regulations associated with trash and recycling pick-up, as well as service schedule details.
General Collection Info
Service Information
The City of Brookings provides curbside pick-up for household garbage to the residents within the City limits. The City provides a 90-gallon green garbage collection cart for each home. If you are a new resident or are moving to a new home, please contact the Brookings Collection Department at (605) 693-3667 to request a cart.
Collection Schedule (Please have your carts out by 7 a.m.)
If you live south of 8th Street South:
- Garbage and yard waste will be picked up on Mondays
- Recycling and yard waste will be picked up on Thursdays
If you live north of 8th Street South:
- Garbage and yard waste will be picked up on Tuesdays
- Recycling and yard waste will be picked up on Fridays
Alternate Collections Pick-Up Schedule for Holiday Disruptions
- Sunday (Except Easter) and Monday holidays
- Monday's garbage and yard waste will be picked up on Tuesday. Tuesday's garbage and yard waste will be picked up on Wednesday.
- Tuesday holidays
- Garbage and yard waste will be picked up on Wednesday.
- Thursday holidays
- Recycling and yard waste will be picked up on Wednesday.
- Friday and Saturday holidays
- Friday's recycling and yard waste will be picked up on Thursday. Thursday's recycling and yard waste will be picked up on Wednesday.
Hours of Operation
Garbage Collection's hours of operation are: 6:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Residents must have their collection carts outside by 7:00 am.
Fees
Monthly garbage collection is $18.00 per month plus 6.5% sales tax, for a total of $19.17 per month. This is billed through Brookings Municipal Utilities. Additional carts may be requested at a cost of $4.00 per month plus 6.5% sales tax, for a total of $4.26 per month.
Green Cart Placement
On garbage collection day, your cart should have 3 feet of clearance on each side and at least 1.5 feet in the back to allow the arms on the collection truck to grasp the cart without damaging property. Please do not place your cart by the mailbox, trees, parked vehicles, trailers, boats or other objects. If we do not have proper room, the cart will not get picked up. During the winter months, please try to keep a spot cleared on either side of your driveway to place the cart.
Related Statute: Ordinance 40-10
On the day garbage is collected from your premises the cart should be placed on the parkway or the boulevard adjoining the premises. All garbage carts placed on the parkway or boulevard on the day of collection shall be removed the same day.
Materials Allowed in Green Garbage Collection Cart
The garbage collection cart is for household garbage only.
Do not place the following items in the cart:
- Car batteries
- Hot ashes
- Oil products
- Paint cans (unless empty)
- Tree trimmings
- Yard waste material
Cart Odor Control
The City of Brookings Collection Service suggests you place household garbage in a plastic bag first, rather than loose in the cart. This will help control the odor in your cart.
Brookings Single-Stream Recycling
Information
All recycling can be commingled in the same container.
Please note: Due to changes in the recycling industry, plastic bags can no longer be recycled. This includes recycling individual bags and using plastic bags to collect recycling. Please refrain from placing your recyclable items in bags within your city of Brookings blue recycling carts.
Collection Schedule
If you live south of 8th Street South:
- Recycling will be picked up on Thursdays
If you live north of 8th Street South:
- Recycling will be picked up on Fridays
Collection Recycling Holiday Schedule
Thursday holidays
- Thursday’s recycling will be picked up on Wednesday.
Friday holidays
- Friday’s recycling will be picked up on Thursday.
- Thursday’s recycling will be picked up on Wednesday.
Saturday holidays
- Friday’s recycling will be picked up on Thursday.
- Thursday’s recycling will be picked up on Wednesday.
Additional Resources
Find out what items are and are not accepted (PDF) by the Brookings curbside recycling program.
Or view this Printable Recycling Sheet (PDF).
Brookings Yard Waste Collection
Information
The City of Brookings offers curbside yard waste collection to residents in the spring through fall. Residents must place yard waste in City of Brookings yard waste collection carts. No yard waste collection takes place during the winter season. Residents may also bring yard waste to the landfill Citizen Campus free of charge all year long.
Yard Waste Material Accepted in Yard Waste Carts
- Flowers and weeds
- Grass clippings
- Stalks
- Vines
- Small twigs - Less than 1/2" diameter (branches are not permitted).
- Leaves
The yard waste is collected and processed into compost at the Landfill. Residents can pick up free compost from the Landfill at any time.
Please Note:
No trees or branches will be accepted in yard waste carts. Residents can drop off tree branches at the Landfill for free or put branches out during Spring Clean Up.
Yard waste bags will no longer be accepted for collection starting in 2021. Yard waste will only be collected in brown yard waste carts (information below).
Requests - Yard Waste Carts
Please call the Brookings City Landfill at (605) 693-3667 to request a cart. Or use the yard waste cart request form using the Engage Brookings App or Click here.
Collection Schedule (Spring to Fall)
If you live south of 8th Street South:
- Yard waste will be picked up on Mondays and Thursdays
If you live north of 8th Street South:
- Yard waste will be picked up on Tuesdays and Fridays
Yard Waste Collection Holiday Schedule
- Sunday and Monday holidays
- Monday’s yard waste will be picked up on Tuesday. Tuesday’s yard waste will be picked up on Wednesday.
- Tuesday and Thursday holidays
- Yard waste will be picked up on Wednesday.
- Friday and Saturday holidays
- Friday’s yard waste will be picked up on Thursday. Thursday’s yard waste will be picked up on Wednesday.
Yard Waste Carts FAQ
Q: I still have some brown yard waste bags. Can I still use them?
A: Starting in the spring of 2021 the City will no longer accept bags unless they are placed in the yard waste cart.
Q: Will there be a fee for a yard waste cart?
A: There is no additional cost to add a yard waste cart to your City of Brookings curbside service.
Q: Can I get a second cart?
A: An optional additional cart can be added for a fee of $4 which will be added to your monthly utility bill.
Q: Can I place tree branches in my cart?
A: No. Tree branches/trimmings are not accepted in yard waste carts. Carts containing these items will not be picked up. Branches/tree trimmings should be delivered to the landfill.