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Sanitation

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Services

Sanitation provides garbage collection and disposal services to businesses and residents within the City of Moorhead. Select from the links below to learn further information.

Contact Us

Email Sanitation or call 218.299.5347 (Main Office) or 218.299.5465 (Transfer Station).

To receive the latest updates on events and changes in service, please sign up for email notifications. Choose "Service Alerts" to get updates related to sanitation and other City of Moorhead updates. 

Residential Garbage Collection

Collection Fees:
Moorhead has a volume-based collection fee. Our customers pay a monthly fee for service as part of the Moorhead Public Service billing statement. This fee includes the collection of garbage, recycling, and yard waste.

Moorhead uses an automated garbage collection system and each household is allowed one automated garbage tote. Three tote sizes are available. The standard size is 48-gallon, but 64-gallon and 96-gallon totes are available at an additional cost. See Service Charges for Residential Garbage Collection for tote rates or change your tote size. Houses with separate metered apartments may have one automated garbage tote for each unit that pays a garbage disposal fee.

Refuse Bags:
If a household has more garbage than will fit within the automated tote, it must be placed in a City of Moorhead prepaid yellow refuse bag that is imprinted with the City of Moorhead logo. These bags are available at many local grocery and retail stores. The expense of purchasing the bags includes the cost of collection and disposal.

Curbside Collection:
Garbage totes and recycling containers should be placed at the curb the night before or by 5 am on your collection day to ensure pickup. Garbage totes should be placed within 4 feet of the curb line, and at least 2 feet from any obstacle to include snow banks. Do not place garbage totes or bags on top of snow banks.

Storage of Garbage Totes/ Recycling totes:
Store your garbage and recycling totes in an enclosed building, or for exterior storage, place neatly against either the back or side of the structure with lids fully closed. Your garbage and recycling tote should be moved off the boulevard as soon as possible after collection has been completed.

Find your garbage collection day.

Find your garbage and recycling day with our new interactive map! Click on the link below and look in the upper right-hand corner to enter your address and choose either sanitation or recycling. 

Interactive Map Link

Holiday Garbage Collection Schedule - 2022

To receive the latest updates on events and changes in service, please sign up for email notifications. Choose "Service Alerts" for updates related to sanitation and other City of Moorhead updates. 

Based on feedback about the Veterans Day garbage pickup schedule, we have revised the Thanksgiving schedule to affect fewer residents. Thank you for your patience!

  • Thanksgiving: Thursday (November 24) and Friday (November 25) garbage and recycling will be picked up on Friday, November 25. The City of Moorhead Garbage Transfer Station will be closed on November 24 and be open 8-noon on November 25.

The holidays listed below will not have garbage collection, and the Transfer Station or Clay County Resource Recovery Center (slated to open in 2023) will be closed. To collect the route that lands on the holiday, there will be double routes, as indicated below. Reminder: On days when multiple garbage/recycling routes are picked up, collection will begin at 4 a.m. Please place your garbage out the night before to ensure collection. Please be aware the shift in route schedules may cause early or delayed collection this week; set your trash out by 4 am to ensure it is collected.   

  • Christmas Eve, Observed (Friday, December 23, 2022): Thursday and Friday’s routes will be picked up Thursday, December 22.  

  • Christmas Day, Observed (Monday, December 26, 2022): Both Monday's and Tuesday's routes will be collected on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. 

  • New Year's Day, Observed (Monday, January 2, 2023)   Both Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be collected Tuesday, January 3, 2023.   
  • Martin Luther King Day, (Monday January 16, 2023).   Both Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be collected Tuesday, January 17, 2023.   
  • Presidents Day, (Monday, February 20, 2023).   Both Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be collected Tuesday, February 21, 2023.      
  • Memorial Day, (Monday, May 29, 2023).   Both Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be collected Tuesday, May 30, 2023.       
  • Independence Day, (Tuesday, July 4, 2023).   Both Tuesday's and Wednesday's routes will be collected Wednesday, July 5th, 2023.    
  • Labor Day, (Monday, September 4, 2023).   Both Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be collected Tuesday, September 5, 2023.   

  • Veterans Day observed (Friday, November 10, 2023).   Both Thursday's and Friday's routes will be collected Thursday, November 9th. 

  • Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 23, 2023): Both Thursday's and Friday's routes will be collected on Friday, November 24. 

  • Christmas Eve (observed Friday, December 22, 2023): Both Thursday's and Friday's routes will be collected on Thursday, December 21, 2023. 

  • Christmas Day (Monday, December 25, 2023).   Both Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be collected Tuesday, December 26, 2023.   

  • New Year’s Day (Monday, January 1, 2024).   Both Monday’s and Tuesday’s routes will be collected Tuesday, January 2, 2024.     

 

Holiday-Related Waste

The Forestry Division will chip Christmas trees on your boulevard from January 2nd to January 13th on your garbage day. 

Note: The Forestry Division will not pick up Christmas trees after January 14th, 2023.    

   • Please place trees 5 feet away from other objects.
   • Please do not deposit on snowbanks.
   • Remove plastic bags, lights, wood and metal stands.


Clay County offers holiday lights, electrical cords, phone cords, and appliance cords recycling year-round at the following locations:

Moorhead Ace Hardware                           Moorhead Transfer Station
20 6th St S, Moorhead, MN 56560                3322 15 Ave N, Moorhead, MN 56560

County Electronics Shed
1300 15 Ave N
(Tuesdays 4pm-6pm only)

 

These locations are seasonally available (December 1st, 2022-January 5th, 2023

Barnesville Recycling Center                      Glyndon Recycling Center  
205 Front St. N, Barnesville, MN 56514         22 3rd St SE, Glyndon, MN 56547

Hawley Recycling Center                            Hitterdal Recycling Center
716 Front Street, Hawley, MN 56549             NP Avenue, Hitterdal, MN 56552
  

To receive the latest updates on events and changes in service, please sign up for email notifications. Choose "Service Alerts" for updates related to sanitation and other City of Moorhead related updates. 

Commercial Garbage Collection

The City has a volume-based collection fee. Our customers pay a monthly fee for service comprised of:

View the City of Moorhead Container Enclosure Guidelines.

If you would like to request additional collection for your commercial property, please email Sanitation or call 218.299.5465.

Illegal Dumping

It is against City Ordinance to store or dispose of trash, rubbish, appliances, machinery or motor vehicles, junk, building and demolition materials on any private property located within the city. It is also against City Ordinance to dispose of residential garbage and waste in any recycling dumpsters at recycling drop sites or in dumpsters at businesses.  Violators of illegal dumping ordinances will be prosecuted. Surveillance cameras have been installed at the recycling drop sites.

Large Item Collection

Except during Clean Up Week, household items such as furniture and appliances are considered special pickups and the household will be charged accordingly for collection and disposal of these items. Disposal fees will apply. To arrange a special pickup of large items email Sanitation or call 218.299.5465.

Alternatively, you may bring these items to the Solid Waste Transfer Station or the Clay County Resource Recovery Center for disposal. Disposal fees will apply.

Location:
Moorhead's Solid Waste Transfer Station
3322 15 Ave N

Open year round (except holidays):
Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Household Hazardous Waste

Examples of hazardous waste include:

  • Building and paint chemicals
  • Garden pesticides and weed killers
  • Household cleaning chemicals
  • Automotive supplies
  • Hobby and craft materials
  • Oil and oil filters
  • Fluorescent bulbs

Visit Clay County Household Hazardous Waste for details of where to dispose of these items.

Building / Demolition Materials

Items such as wood, sheet rock, old fencing material, concrete, windows, and doors are not collected by sanitation crews and must be disposed of in a special landfill. These materials should be brought to the Solid Waste Transfer Station for disposal. Disposal fees will apply.

The City of Moorhead also provides roll-off services. To arrange this service, contact the Solid Waste Transfer Station at 218.299.5465. Fee Schedule

Location:
Moorhead's Solid Waste Transfer Station
3322 15 Ave N

Open year round (except holidays)
Monday  - Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Televisions and Computer Equipment

Residential televisions and computer equipment are accepted by Clay County. Information on recycling residential electronics is available at Clay County Special Waste Recycling or call 218.299.7279.