What it costs to dump in Michigan: 2026 fees by county
Michigan's public dumps mostly charge by the load: $3.50 a bag in Emmet County, $15 a car load at St. Clair County's Smiths Creek Landfill, $30 to $40 in Kent County and Muskegon County, and a free 3-cubic-yard load each month for Midland County homes.
2026 cost to dump in Michigan, place by place
| Place | Small load | Bigger loads | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | Free, 3 cubic yards once a month (Midland County homes) | $12 a cubic yard | Midland County waste only |
| Emmet County | $3.50 a 30-gallon bag | $18 a cubic yard loose | Furniture and debris $34 a cubic yard |
| St. Clair County (Smiths Creek) | $15 a car load | $20 to $30 a pickup; trailers $15 a cubic yard | Saturdays only every third week |
| Kent County (Grand Rapids) | $5 a bag (2 max) or $30 a car load | $40 a pickup; $62.54 a ton over 1,400 lbs | Closing time is exact |
| Muskegon County | $30 car minimum | $45 truck minimum, then $78.76 a ton | Five counties only |
| Oceana County (Shelby) | $5 to $8 a bag | $55 to $65 a pickup load | Open Tue, Thu and Sat only |
Rates verified from each operator's own published pages, October 2026. Tires, appliances and construction debris cost extra almost everywhere. Confirm with the site before a big load.
Find a landfill near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest disposal sites across Michigan, then open your city's page for its exact hours, fees and what it accepts.
Why prices vary in Michigan
Michigan counties plan their own solid waste systems, so some run their own landfill (St. Clair, Kent, Muskegon and the City of Midland), some run transfer stations that truck garbage to a landfill elsewhere (Emmet and Oceana), and much of the state relies on private landfills that set their own prices.
Public sites usually price small loads by the vehicle or the bag rather than the ton: $15 for a car at Smiths Creek, $30 at South Kent and in Muskegon County, $55 to $65 for a pickup in Oceana County. Bigger loads move to per-ton or per-cubic-yard rates.
Free and nearly free options
- Midland County households get up to 3 cubic yards free once a month at the City of Midland Landfill.
- Kent County takes residents' recycling, electronics and scrap metal free, and its SafeChem sites take household hazardous waste with no appointment.
- St. Clair County and Muskegon County run free household hazardous waste programs for residents.
- Oceana County residents recycle free at the Shelby transfer station.
The catches that cost people money
- Showing up late. Kent County charges $45 per 15 minutes past closing and Muskegon County $65, and both close exactly on time.
- Coming from the wrong county. Midland takes Midland County waste only, and Muskegon only Muskegon, Ottawa, Oceana, Newaygo and Lake counties.
- Untarped loads. Muskegon County adds $25 for a load without a tarp.
- Weekend trips. Smiths Creek opens only every third Saturday since April 2026, Midland only on listed Saturdays, and Oceana County only Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
What Michigan law keeps out of the trash
Section 11514 of Part 115 of Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act bans lead-acid batteries, used oil, yard clippings (unless diseased, infested or part of an invasive species program) and whole tires from landfills. Landfills can accept tires once they're cut in half or shredded, and deposit beverage containers should go back for the refund.
Household hazardous waste isn't banned from landfills, but most counties run free collections for it. Michigan has no landfill ban on TVs, computers or appliances (the refrigerant has to be removed first), and no paint stewardship (PaintCare) or mattress recycling law.