Oberlin’s large-trash pickup needs a reservation; routine bagged yard waste does not. That distinction matters before a cleanup: two free large-trash collections per property each year are not an unlimited disposal allowance. Book by noon Friday before the pickup week. Each collection is limited to four cubic yards. City collection services
Match the pile to the service
| What you have | Arrangement | Preparation or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Bulky household trash | Reserve a large-trash pickup | Four cubic yards per collection; bag, bundle or contain loose items |
| A cleanup needing a temporary dumpster | Request availability and pay in advance | Friday delivery/removal; improved, hard, level surface and clearance for servicing |
| Routine bagged yard waste | Weekly Monday route; no appointment or new tags | $1 per bag; maximum 30 pounds |
| Cut brush | Monthly City pass, April–November | Up to six feet long and six inches in diameter; stack in one direction |
| Loose fall leaves | Seasonal leaf collection | Curb lawn, not the street |
The first two rows follow Collection Services; the seasonal rows follow the 2026 calendar. Large-trash service still excludes materials prohibited from regular collection. Major tree-removal or trimming debris is the owner’s responsibility, not an automatic City brush pickup.
Four cubic yards: use the City’s pile dimensions
The City illustrates its allowance as 12 feet long × 3 feet wide × 3 feet high. LSL’s check: 12 × 3 × 3 = 108 cubic feet; dividing by 27 gives four cubic yards. This is a volume illustration, not permission to include prohibited material or guarantee that an irregular pile will be accepted. Published allowance
Before reserving, describe the material and approximate pile dimensions and ask whether the property has a free collection remaining. Public Works lists 440-775-7218. A dumpster request is a separate paid service, subject to availability; this guide does not estimate its price.
Fall 2026 dates to keep separate
Bagged yard collection runs March 23–November 23, excluding Monday holidays. The remaining posted brush starts are October 5 and November 2, with brush out before 7 a.m. Leaf collection begins the week of October 26 and depends on collection progress and snowfall. There is no spring loose-leaf collection. Current seasonal schedule
Which yard-waste bag should you buy?
The sources disagree on material: the seasonal webpage permits paper lawn-and-leaf bags or manufacturer-labeled biodegradable plastic; its linked 2025 guide specifies compostable paper. Paper meeting the guide’s specifications avoids that conflict: self-standing, heavy-duty two-ply wet-strength bags, no more than 30 gallons or 30 pounds. The guide says to place them upright before 7 a.m. Monday and describes annual billing. Bag specifications and billing
Confirm plastic bags with Public Works before buying them. LSL has not obtained an agency resolution of that wording difference.
How this comparison was checked
LSL compared the City’s collection page, 2026 seasonal page and both pages of its linked yard guide on September 13, 2026. The matrix and volume check are our synthesis; no pickup was booked or observed. Recheck the seasonal page before setout. Other communities’ limits, including Tallmadge’s hauler preparation rules, do not apply to Oberlin.