2026 Recycling & Solid Waste Guide
For more information download the guide here.
Yard Waste Guide
For more information download the guide here.
Information About Recycling Carts
For more information download the flyer here or visit: www.RecyclingSimplified.com
Expanded Hours at Service Center Dumpsters
The Service Center Dumpsters are located at the Middleburg Heights Service Center, 7375 Engle Road, and are available for residents only on Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm. Please have proper identification available upon request.
Starting Saturday, April 18, 2026 the Service Center Dumpsters will be open the first and third Saturday of each month through October 17, 2026 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm (CLOSED SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2026). The following are the scheduled Saturday dates: April 18th, May 2nd and 16th, June 6th and 20th, July 18th, August 1st and 15th, September 5th and 19th, October 3rd and 17th.
Trash
Solid Waste Collection
Household rubbish collection is handled by Republic Services (440-458-5191), a private company that contracts with the city to provide collection services on a weekly basis. All household rubbish is picked up once per week on Monday.
Household rubbish should be set out for curbside collection no later than 6 a.m. Monday morning. It can also be set out after 6 p.m. Sunday evening.
Food waste must be drained and placed in a plastic bag. Sharp items, broken glass, syringes, etc., should be placed in a separate container before placing in a bag or can.
Required Containers
- Garbage cans are a homeowner responsibility and are not provided by the City nor Republic Services
- Republic Services will provide 1 green (with white Republic Services recycling logo) recycling can per household
- Plastic bags placed at the curb must be securely tied and not to exceed 40 lbs.
- Trash containers may be plastic or metal
- Containers size –maximum of 95 gallons
- All containers must have lids and lift handles
- Maximum weight of container and contents not to exceed 40 lbs.
- Cardboard boxes should be broken down and stacked next to containers
- Most non-hazardous household rubbish, including furniture (all upholstered furniture must be wrapped), television sets, mattresses (all mattresses must bagged) and appliances (doors must be removed, freon must be removed, and appliance tagged as freon removed) can be placed on the curb for pickup
Holidays
Monday Collections are not made on the holidays listed below if they fall or are observed on a Monday.
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Refrigerant/Freon Removal
Refrigerators, air-conditioners, dehumidifiers, etc. require special treatment mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A certified contractor must remove the refrigerant and the appliance must be tagged to indicate this removal before these items can be placed on the curb for removal. Remember to remove refrigerator and freezer doors.
Latex Paint
Latex paint can be included with regular household waste for curbside pick up. Leftover paint should be allowed to dry out in the can, or be thoroughly mixed with cat litter or sand before being placed in the trash in opened cans. Full containers of latex paint can be donated to charities that accept these products.
Weight Limits
Household rubbish for curbside pickup should be placed within five feet of the curb in 20- to 35-gallon rubbish containers, or in plastic bags, not exceeding 50 pounds each in weight. Please refrain from putting broken glass, syringes or sharp objects loosely into plastic bags.
Hedge cuttings, limbs and branches should be securely tied, and not exceed four feet in length and 45 pounds in weight.
Excluded Items
Building materials resulting from construction, remodeling, repair or demolition operations and large automotive parts generated by a residential unit are excluded from curbside pickup. Waste generated by commercial contractors is also excluded.
Heavy & Bulk Refuse Items
These items will be collected if placed properly for pickup:
- Metal, wood, or plastic furniture
- Mattresses and upholstered furniture -must be bagged and / or wrapped
- Carpeting — must be separated from padding, rolled and tied in 4 foot sections, and be no more than 40lbs. in weight separated from padding
- Tables and swing sets, etc. — dismantled, broken down to 4 foot lengths, tied / taped into bundles no more than 40 lbs. in weight
- Refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers — DOORS REMOVED — FREON REMOVED – APPLIANCE TAGGED AS FREON REMOVED
- Other household appliances
- Materials from construction, remodeling, repairs, demolition , automotive work, or any other waste from a commercial contractor is NOT permitted
Recycling
The Five Ways To Recycle Right
Done Correctly, Recycling is an Easy Way to Make a Difference in Preserving the Planet
Want to do your part in preserving the earth for generations to come? Not sure how to participate? Recycling is a simple and easy way to make a difference in saving the planet for a brighter today and tomorrow.
5 ways to recycle right:
- Leave recyclables loose – not bagged. Plastic bags do not belong in your recycling bin or cart. Plastic bags get tangled in the sorting machines at the recycling facilities and cause major problems for the recycling process. Plastic shopping bags can be recycled at many retail locations, including Giant Eagle, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Marc’s, Target and Walmart stores.
- Make sure it’s clean and empty. Rinse residue from cartons, containers, bottles and jars or any other recyclable that may contain food particles. For example, greasy pizza boxes are not accepted.
- Keep it dry. When it comes to paper and cardboard, keeping it dry is imperative for the recycling process. Please flatten all cardboard boxes as well.
- Don’t wishcycle. Think you can throw everything into your recycling bin and it will get sorted out at the recycling plant? Think again. Recycling only these five core items is paramount: cans, cartons, glass, paper and plastic along with plastic bottles and jugs.
- Join a social media community. Share a post. Do a story. Get engaged with the social media accounts in your community. You’ll find Cuyahoga County’s accounts located on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Once you’ve got the hang of recycling, you can also learn about various other eco-friendly topics from composting to zero-waste lifestyles. There’s seemingly no end to the ways we can reduce, reuse and recycle for a cleaner and greener today and tomorrow.
About the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District
The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District is the public agency helping the people of Cuyahoga County reduce, reuse and recycle at home, at work and in their communities. We serve as the leading resource in the County for information, expertise and programs that support sustainable materials management and reduce the environmental impact of waste.
Visit www.CuyahogaRecycles.org or call 216.443.3749 to learn how to recycle in your community and discover other recycling and disposal options.
Click here for more information on plastics.
Click here to learn about Recycling Simplified.
Recyclable Items
Glass
Recycle all glass beverage bottles and jars. Please rinse containers and remove lids and neck rings. Paper labels don’t need to be removed. Do not include used pesticide or herbicide containers, window glass, light bulbs, mirrors or ceramics — place them with rubbish.
Plastic
For more information on plastics, click here.
Aluminum Steel & Cans
Recycle rinsed aluminum and steel cans. Remove paper from cans and place them in blue recycling bags along with plastic and glass curbside.
Newspapers
To make your recycling efforts easier, you may place all newspapers in the blue recycling bin (as well as other items, including – but is not limited to – magazines, color and glossy prints, and junk mail).
Cardboard
The City of Middleburg Heights Service Department has established a program for cardboard recycling. The container for cardboard is located at the Service Center at 7375 Engle Road. This covered dumpster is located to the right of the salt dome and to the far left of the standard trash dumpsters. As with the trash dumpsters, the cardboard recycling dumpster is available year-round from 7:00am – 3:00pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. Dumpsters are also available on the first and third Saturday of each month, mid-April – mid-October, from 8:00am 12:00pm.
Computers
Household computer equipment such as CPU’s, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, terminals, modems, software and other peripheral devices and accessories may be taken to our City Service Center at 7375 Engle Road, on any Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., throughout the year.
For more information, please visit www.cuyahogarecycles.org/.
Businesses may also take their computer equipment, any day throughout the year, to RET3 Job Corp., 1814 E. 40th St., Cleveland, OH 44114. Call (216) 361-9991.
Televisions and other electronics are not accepted.
Household Hazardous Waste
Hazardous household waste is not allowed for curbside pickup. See list below for details:
Household materials accepted
- Oil or solvent-based paint, sealers, primers, or coatings (aerosols or liquids)
- Varnishes, polyurethanes, shellacs
- Paint thinner, mineral spirits, turpentine
- Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides
- Caustic household cleaners
- Pool chemicals
- Automotive fluids, motor oil, car batteries
- Adhesives, roof tar, driveway sealer
- Kerosene, gasoline, lighter fluid
- Mercury
Materials NOT accepted
- Latex paint
- Explosives, gun powder, ammunition, flares
- Medical waste, pharmaceuticals, medicine, sharps (needles)
- Radioactive waste (i.e. smoke detectors)
- Tires
- Electronics, appliances
Car Tires and Batteries
Car and truck tires and tires from other vehicles, are not permitted in curbside pick up. Call a tire dealer or service station to dispose of these items properly.
Motor vehicle batteries cannot be accepted for curbside pickup. They should be recycled with battery dealers or service stations.
Propane Tanks
Propane tanks present a fire and explosion hazard and are not acceptable for curbside pickup. These tanks are to be recycled through propane dealers and retail stores that sell propane, such as Lowe’s and The Home Depot.
Mercury
Mercury is a health hazard that is not acceptable for curbside pick up. For free disposal of mercury, please call the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District at (216) 443-3749 for drop-off locations.
Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable batteries contain hazardous materials and should not be included with household waste. These batteries can be recycled by the store from which they were purchased.
For further information about recycling, go to https://cuyahogarecycles.org/recyclables/batteries.
CURBSIDE RECYCLING IN MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS
The City of Middleburg Heights offers weekly curbside recycling for city residents. Combine cans, cartons, glass, paper and boxes plus plastic bottles and jugs loose (unbagged) in the provided 18-gallon bin or in blue recycling bags.
Blue bags can be purchased at many stores where trash bags are sold, or you may use blue grocery store bags.
Place recycling on the curb next to your rubbish for pickup on your scheduled collection day.
Although recyclable materials should be placed at the same time as rubbish, recyclables may be picked up at a different time on that day.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling
To help reduce recycling contamination, we want to make sure our residents are informed of the correct products that can or cannot be recycled.
For plastics, residents should do the poke test — if you can poke your finger through the plastic, then it is too flimsy to recycle.
For aluminum, residents should empty and clean their material and follow instructions below:
Paper should always be separated from plastic, even if from the same packaging. Here are some rules for paper recycling:
Recycled cardboard should be a clean, unsoiled product:
For more information on how you can recycle responsibly, visit RecyclingSimplified.com.
Empty or Outdated Propane Tanks and Fire Extinguishers
Propane Tanks
Propane tanks should NEVER be placed in your curbside recycling. We cannot accept them at our HHW Round-Up as well.
Blue Rhino locations offer a free recycling program for 20# grill tanks. If you have a gas grill propane tank that you no longer need and would like to recycle, write “RECYCLE” on the tank and take it to any Blue Rhino location. Blue Rhino will collect the tank and refurbish it if possible. If the tank does not meet the company’s safety and quality standards, they will recycle the tank. Blue Rhino will accept any standard gas grill tank, including other brands. Find a location.
20# propane cylinders can also be exchanged for free at the store where you purchase your new tank. Check with your local retailer for details.
Small propane or butane canisters for a camp stove, lantern or torch (usually 2# or less) are not refillable and can be recycled through a scrap metal yard. Make sure the canister is empty by attaching it to the device it is used with and allowing the gas to run until it’s gone. Or use a tool to decompress the item. If there is no scrap metal recycling available, and all of the gas is released, the canister may be discarded in the trash.
Refrigerant gas, welding tanks and medical cylinders should be disposed or recycled through the company it was purchased or received from.
Local businesses that recycle tanks and other gas cylinders include AAA Gas Supply (216.228.4800) and Air Gas Great Lakes (216.241.1696). You may also be able to recycle empty tanks at a local scrap metal yard.
If all recycling options have been exhausted, tanks from a household grill or stove can be disposed through the District’s Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Program.
Businesses must contract with a licensed environmental services company for proper disposal or recycling. See our Business Recycling Directory.
Fire Extinguishers
Metal fire extinguishers can be refilled rather than thrown away when empty, unless it was manufactured before 1984. Extinguishers made of plastic are not recyclable and should be placed in the regular trash when empty.
Fire extinguishers consist of a hand-held cylindrical pressure-vessel, usually made of steel or aluminum, and an agent which can be discharged to extinguish a fire.
There are two main types of fire extinguishers: stored pressure and cartridge-operated. Stored pressure fire extinguishers are the most common and typically contain a dry chemical as the agent. The dry chemical is typically mono ammonium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate—all of which are considered non-toxic.
Very old fire extinguishers (pre-1960’s) may contain carbon tetrachloride, a known carcinogen. If you have a pre-1960’s fire extinguisher that contains carbon tetrachloride, contact the Solid Waste District.
How should you dispose of an old fire extinguisher?
If it’s not empty:
The casing is usually made out of steel or aluminum and can be recycled. Recyclers will not accept containers that are not empty so you must discharge all contents first. Discharge outside, away from children or pets. Eye protection and a mask are recommended when discharging.
- Pull the pin on the extinguisher—this unlocks the operating lever.
- Squeeze the lever above the handle to discharge contents.
- Aim low and discharge contents into a bucket or another container.
After you’ve finished discharging extinguisher contents and nothing else comes out, remove the head from the container—this will let the recycler know that the extinguisher is empty. Remove any plastic pieces (plastic pieces go in the trash) and take to a scrap metal yard for recycling. Dispose of the collected non-toxic dry-chemical agent in the trash.
If it’s empty:
- Squeeze the lever above the handle to ensure that all contents are discharged.
- Remove the head so that the recycler knows the container is empty.
- Recycle the steel body. Once the head is removed, the container can be taken to a scrap metal yard.
Do not place empty fire extinguishers in your curbside recycling.
For a list companies in Cuyahoga County that properly dispose of fire extinguishers, including commercial products, see our Business Recycling Directory.
Autumn Leaf Collection
Leaves are considered a solid waste and should be either recycled or disposed of properly to provide safe clean streets and to prevent issues within the stormwater drainage system. Traffic will be affected during leaf collection. Be patient and help us keep our crews safe.
Leaf pick up will begin October 13, 2025 for Middleburg Heights residents.
- Please rake your leaves to the treelawn.
- Do not rake the leaves into the street.
- Do not include branches, sticks, rocks, metal, animal waste, etc.- “leaves only.”
- See complete list of DO’s and Don’ts below
Residents can expect to receive a pick up every seven to ten days. At least four city wide, full service pick ups will be made throughout the season, (more if necessary.)
Service Department crews will collect leaves from mid-October into December, weather permitting. Residents may expect at least 4 collections per year, with 7 to 10 days between collections. Additional collections may be added based on need and weather conditions. Leaf piles blocked by vehicles or other obstructions will be picked up as part of the next collection cycle, or after the obstruction has been removed.
For your assistance, please refer to the Fall Leaf Pick Up DOs and DON’Ts:
DO’s
DO Think SAFETY – children should NEVER play in leaves piled along the roadway – motorists and public service crews cannot see children hidden in leaves
DO be aware of work areas and reduce your speed when driving near leaf collection operations
DO place leaf piles on the tree lawn; behind the curb / edge of pavement without blocking the street or sidewalks
DO make sure leaf piles are close enough to the street for the collection equipment to reach them – generally, no more than 3 feet from curb
DO keep leaf piles away from any trees, bushes, mailboxes, decorations, street signs and / or fire hydrants
DO recycle on your property or bag your loose leaves whenever possible
DON’Ts
DO NOT rake or blow leaves onto streets or sidewalks – leaf piles on the streets or sidewalks are a dangerous public safety hazard to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians
DO NOT mix sticks, trash, metal, heavy debris (concrete, bricks, blocks), or pet waste in leaf piles – other waste may damage our equipment, injure our crews / bystanders, and severely slow our progress
DO NOT block storm drains with leaf piles – this will block the drain and may cause flooding
DO NOT place holiday decorations within 10 feet of leaf piles
DO NOT park in front of leaf piles awaiting collection
DO NOT dump grass clipping in leaf piles
Household Hazardous Waste
2026 Household Hazardous Waste Round-Up Info
Drop-off Location:
Middleburg Heights Service Center
7375 Engle Road
Collection Date:
Spring
Saturday, April 25, 2026
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Summer
Friday, August 14, 2026
8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Fall
Friday, October 30, 2026
8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
NOTE: Items will only be accepted at the Service Garage during specified collection dates.
Materials Accepted:
Paint and Related Products (liquid and aerosol)
- Oil or Solvent based paint
- Sealers, primers, coatings, varnishes, polyurethane, shellacs
- Paint thinner, mineral spirits, turpentine, spray paint
Pesticides
- Pesticides (bug and rodent killers)
- Herbicides (weed killers)
- Insecticides (bug killers)
- Fungicides (mold killers)
Other Misc. Items
- Caustic household cleaners (oven cleaner, drain cleaner, muriatic acid, etc.)
- Automotive fluids, motor oil, car batteries
- Adhesives, roof tar, driveway sealer
- Kerosene, gasoline, lighter fluid
- Mercury
Materials Not Accepted:
- Latex paint
- Explosives, gun powder, ammunition, flares
- Medical waste, pharmaceuticals, medicine, sharps
- Radioactive waste (i.e. smoke detectors)
- Tires
- Electronics
- Appliances
Shred Day
2026 Shred Day Info
Drop-off Location:
Middleburg Heights Service Center
7375 Engle Road
Collection Date:
Spring
Saturday, June 6, 2026
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Summer
Saturday, August 15, 2026
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Fall
Saturday, November 7, 2026
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
