Frequently Asked Questions

• Households will be charged $14.04 per month for trash service (billed directly to the resident by WM quarterly at $42.12 per quarter).
• Those who subscribe to yard waste service will be charged $10.50 per month, (billed directly to the resident by WM seasonally for the service period of April 1 – November 30).
• Recycling services will continue to be funded through the voter-approved millage and included in property taxes.

Yes. The City of Portage and WM have a 5-year contract, which includes a 4% increase each year:     

In mid-to-late February 2026, WM will deliver one 96-gallon trash cart and one 96-gallon recycling cart to each household. 

Smaller 64-gallon trash carts will be available, which can be exchanged for the larger 96-gallon carts after April 30, 2026. 

Every household will receive a 96-gallon recycling cart during the roll-out. Residents may contact WM at 1-877-814-2328 to have the recycling cart removed after the roll-out.

Every household will receive a 96-gallon trash cart during the roll-out. Section 308 of the International Property Maintenance Code requires that residents remove trash from their property. If a resident wishes to dispose of their trash on their own and not use the service provided by WM, they may call 1-877-814-2328 to have the trash cart removed after the roll-out.

Residents who wish to subscribe to yard waste service must sign up with WM between March 1 and March 31, 2026, and prepay for the full season. Residents who miss this window must wait until next year to enroll; only new residents will be able to sign up after March 31, 2026.

Yes. WM will deliver a new 96-gallon trash cart and a new 96-gallon recycling cart to every Portage household. Please roll your old carts to the curb following collection the week of February 22, 2026. WM will remove them.

Please roll your existing carts to the curb following collection the week of February 22, 2026. Best Way Disposal, the city’s current recycling vendor and trash and yard waste provider for many households, along with Republic, will collect their empty carts.

• Trash will be collected weekly.
• Yard waste will be collected weekly from April 1 – November 30.
• Recycling will be collected every other week.

WM has invested approximately $55M in Michigan with the development of a state-of-the-art single-stream recycling facility in the City of Detroit. This advanced facility uses optical sorting scanners for both fiber and plastic materials to maximize recovery and improve the quality of recyclables. The operation also includes system upgrades that enhance glass recovery and cleanup. The WM Detroit Recycling Facility can process up to 144,000 tons of material each year, helping give materials a second life and expanding local recycling opportunities. Learn More at www.wm.com/us/en/detroit-wm-recycling-facilty.

Beginning March 1, 2026, residents can schedule the collection of one curbside bulk item for collection each week, eliminating the need to wait for the Spring Cleanup Program or transport items to a landfill for a fee. Simply call 1-877-814-2328 before your weekly trash collection to schedule the pickup.

WM operates in strict compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The City of Portage has set clear performance standards and will hold the WM accountable for customer service issues. This ensures reliable pickups, better recycling programs, and responsive customer service.

As part of the WM Smart Truck® program, all WM trucks are outfitted with cameras. The program is designed to help create cleaner, safer communities while giving you more visibility into your service and billing. The use of cameras:

• Sends meaningful insights to your service levels and billing.
• Helps prevent loose material, odors, and pest problems caused by overages.
• Provides helpful reminders about what is and is not acceptable in your container.
• Keeps drivers on schedule and focused on providing safe service.
• Let’s the WM Driver know if the cart was set out for service.

The Portage City Administration opened sealed competitive bids from four waste service providers on March 6, 2025. Three bidders were advanced to the next stage of the award process: Best Way, Republic Services, and Waste Management of Michigan, Inc. (WM). Interviews were conducted in March 2025 with the City Manager, Purchasing Manager, and all three bidding companies in attendance. Upon review, WM's proposal was the strongest bid and had the lowest monthly waste removal rate of $14.04 for residential customer garbage collection, $10.50 for yard waste (only charged during the eight months yard waste is collected), and $4.69 for recycling services for the first year. The City Council awarded a five-year contract awarded to the low bidder, WM, to provide residential waste services citywide beginning March 1, 2026.

All waste haulers were offered the opportunity to submit their best price. This competitive approach allows for better oversight, consistent service quality, and cost savings for residents by negotiating bulk contracts. The city is not aiming to eliminate competition but to streamline and improve waste services through a single-hauler system.

By negotiating bulk pricing with one provider, the city can lower service costs. Economies of scale provide cost efficiencies that are absent when a company has only a portion of the homes in town.

Moving to a single-hauler system will simplify service delivery, reduce costs for most Portage households, and lessen environmental and infrastructure impacts. Residents will no longer have to manage contracts or compare rates between multiple providers. A single hauler offers consistent pricing and service, making waste management simpler and more predictable. The city will also assist in addressing customer service concerns.

Yes. With only one provider, billing becomes uniform and predictable, eliminating confusion over different rates and service terms.

Fewer garbage trucks on residential streets means less traffic congestion and a lower risk of accidents. This improves both vehicle and pedestrian safety.

Absolutely. Trucks cause significant wear on streets. Reducing the number of trucks operating in neighborhoods can extend the life of roadways and reduce maintenance costs.

Traffic causes wear on our streets. Every pass of a heavy truck adds stress to pavement. If three trucks each collect part of a neighborhood, that’s three full sets of heavy axles on the same streets. A single modern truck can handle the same volume in one trip. That means far fewer passes on neighborhood roads. Even when a truck does need to unload, those trips are usually made on arterials (roads built for heavy traffic), not back through residential blocks. On balance, one truck always means fewer heavy loads traveling over neighborhood streets, which translates into less wear and tear over time.

Optimized collection routes reduce fuel usage and cut down on emissions, improving environmental sustainability. What’s more, WM uses a compressed natural gas (CNG) fleet, a cleaner, quieter, and more efficient alternative to diesel. And with fewer trucks in your neighborhood, you can expect a significant decrease in noise pollution.