Where to Get Rid of Branches and Yard Waste in Toledo
Curbside pickup, drop-off sites and suburban options, updated for 2026.
Updated October 2026 · By Toledo Tree Trimming
You cut down some branches, or a storm did it for you. Now what? This guide lists every practical way to get rid of branches, logs, brush and yard waste in Toledo and nearby towns, from curbside pickup to drop-off sites. Rules changed in 2026, so even longtime residents may want a refresher.
Quick answer for Toledo residents: Put up to five bundles or bulk items at the curb with your weekly trash (each under 40 pounds, branches tied in 3-by-4-foot bundles), or take yard waste to the Clean Toledo Recycling Center at 3900 Creekside Ave., Tuesday through Saturday, with proof of residency. No grass clippings at the center.
1. Weekly curbside bulk pickup (Toledo)
Starting January 5, 2026, Toledo replaced its old call-ahead monthly bulk pickup with a weekly one. You no longer need to schedule.
- Place up to five bulk items at the curb on your regular trash day.
- Each item or bundle must weigh under 40 pounds.
- Tie branches and wood in bundles no bigger than 3 feet by 4 feet.
- Pull or pound flat any nails in wood.
This works well for regular pruning. For a whole tree, five bundles a week can take a long time.
Toledo's trash contract was up for renewal in 2026, so check the city's Trash and Recycling page if anything here looks different.
2. Clean Toledo Recycling Center
In June 2026, the city opened a year-round, self-service drop-off center. It replaced the seasonal Clean Toledo drop-off events.
| Address | 3900 Creekside Ave., Toledo, OH 43612 |
|---|---|
| Days | Tuesday–Saturday |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (one city notice listed 4:00 p.m., so arrive early) |
| Who | Toledo residents only. Bring a state ID, enhanced library card or utility bill. |
| Yard waste | Accepted, except grass clippings |
| Also takes | Electronics, scrap metal, appliances without refrigerant, food waste, cardboard and recyclables, donations |
| Not accepted | Household hazardous waste and tires (handled at separate city events) |
You unload your own materials, and city staff are on site to help.
3. Hoffman Road Landfill: no yard waste
Toledo's Hoffman Road Landfill at 3962 Hoffman Rd. takes bulky household waste, but its list of materials it won't accept includes yard waste, limbs, stumps, large logs and brush. Use the Clean Toledo Recycling Center instead.
4. Fall leaf collection (Toledo)
In 2026, Toledo's leaf collection starts November 2 and runs about six weeks, by ZIP code. Pile leaves along the curb line of your street no more than two days before your pickup week, keep storm drains clear, and move your car off the street that week. Keep sticks and branches out of leaf piles. Missed your date? Through January 8, 2027, the city takes leaves at drop-off sites at Bowman, Detwiler, Ravine and Woodsdale parks and the Elmdale Woodlot. Find your week on the city's Leaf Collection page.
5. Ohio Compost (Sager Road, near Swanton)
This private compost site at 10839 Sager Road (US 20A), on the south side of Toledo Express Airport, takes brush, branches, leaves and other green yard waste. Most people pay a fee. Some nearby villages, like Holland, have arranged free drop-off for their residents with ID. Call ahead for hours and prices.
6. Wood County options (Perrysburg, Rossford, Northwood)
Wood County lists two yard waste drop-off sites: the Wood County Landfill on Tontogany Road near Bowling Green, and Renewed Outdoors on North Dixie Highway in Perrysburg (seasonal). Call ahead for hours and fees. Your city may also run its own brush pickup. Rossford, for example, has historically scheduled brush pickup weeks in late April and late September.
7. Suburbs in Lucas County
Sylvania, Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Oregon and other suburbs each set their own brush and yard waste rules. Toledo's programs don't cover them. Maumee, for example, runs spring and fall brush collection through its Division of Natural Resources. Check your town's public works or service department page.
8. Keep it on your property
- Chip it. Wood chips make good mulch for shrub beds and paths.
- Compost it. Leaves and small twigs break down in a backyard bin. The Lucas Soil & Water Conservation District sells compost bins.
- Burn it as firewood. Season logs for six months to a year. Burn it close to home, since moving firewood can spread pests like the emerald ash borer, which was first found in Ohio near Toledo.
- Leave a brush pile. In a back corner, a small brush pile gives birds and small wildlife shelter.
9. Hire a crew to haul it
For a whole tree, a big storm mess, or logs too heavy to lift, it's often faster to have a tree crew chip and haul it. If you live outside Toledo, it may be your best option. Call (419) 820-4750 for a free quote, or read about tree disposal service in Toledo.
A seasonal plan for Toledo yard waste
- Late winter (February–March): A good time for pruning. Bundle branches for weekly bulk pickup or save them for the Clean Toledo center.
- Spring (April–June): Storm season starts. Keep a few bundles' worth of twine on hand so storm brush can go to the curb quickly.
- Summer (July–August): Grass clippings are best left on the lawn. They break down fast and feed the soil, and the Clean Toledo center won't take them.
- Fall (November–December): Pile leaves along the curb line for city leaf collection, and keep branches in separate bundles.
- After any big storm: Report fallen city trees to Engage Toledo, and give curbside crews time to catch up before piling more out.
What not to do
- Don't put brush or leaves in the street or storm drains. It blocks drainage and causes flooding.
- Don't mix grass clippings into yard waste for the Clean Toledo center.
- Don't put yard waste in your recycling cart.
- Don't dump on vacant lots. It's illegal and the city has cracked down on blight.
- Don't burn brush or leaves in the city. Ohio's open burning rules generally don't allow burning yard waste inside city limits.
Who to call
- Engage Toledo (city services and missed pickups): 419-936-2020
- City of Toledo Solid Waste (trash and recycling rules): through Engage Toledo
- Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful (recycling and cleanup programs)
- Lucas County Solid Waste Management District (county drop-off locations)
Sources
Ready for a free tree quote?
Too big a pile for the curb? A local crew can chip it or haul it away. The quote is free.
Call (419) 820-4750Toledo Tree Trimming is a free referral service, not a tree company. We connect callers with independent local tree care providers, who may pay us a fee. How this works.