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A public resource guide
Free yard waste removal in Lincoln, NE
Every free and paid way to get rid of yard waste in Lincoln, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Lincoln
Home › By item › Yard waste › Lincoln
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of yard waste in Lincoln, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Lincoln
0
city trash or bulky service; every home contracts a licensed hauler
N. 48th St
city transfer station takes furniture, appliances, and tires for posted fees
$5.25
per car tire at North 48th Street, limit 9, plus a vehicle fee
Yard waste rate
North 48th Street Solid Waste Management Facility, yard waste rate
Every route for yard waste in Lincoln, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Lincoln guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Lincoln, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Lincoln bulky item disposal: yard waste
Your hauler, for a feeGrass and leaves are banned from the trash April 1 to December 1; subscribe to your hauler's yard waste service or take it to North 48th Street. December through March it can go with household trash.
Who qualifies: Lincoln has no city trash collection. Every household contracts one of the city's licensed private haulers, and bulky pickups are arranged with that hauler for a fee.
How to schedule: Call your hauler to schedule a bulky pickup; fees vary. Self-haul option: the city's North 48th Street Solid Waste Management Facility (5101 N. 48th St) takes furniture, appliances, tires, and debris for posted fees. Lincoln Transfer Station fees include per-item charges for appliances and tires.
Limits: Set by your hauler. North 48th Street: loads covered and secured, trailers under 60 square feet; 9 tires per customer.
Set-out: Only on a date your hauler confirms.
North 48th Street Solid Waste Management Facility: yard waste
Yard waste rateAccepted.
Where: 5101 N. 48th St, Lincoln, NE 68504, 402-441-8104
How it works: Open to Lancaster County residents with covered, secured loads. Household trash, furniture, construction debris, appliances (refrigerated units carry a higher fee), tires ($5.25 per car tire, limit 9), used oil, and recyclables. Credit card, cash, or check.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Lincoln: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering yard waste, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Lincoln: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Lincoln, Nebraska (#72 nationally) operates a unique waste management system: the City does NOT provide municipal trash collection. Lincoln residents are required to contract with one of 17+ licensed private haulers for waste service, with no city-assigned zones or collection days. Nebraska state law BANS yard waste from landfills April 1 through November 30, requiring all haulers to collect yard waste separately during this period and send it to composting facilities. The City’s Bluff Road Landfill (6001 Bluff Road) handles solid waste and yard waste composting with tipping fees of $52.09/ton for construction waste and $25.15/ton for yard waste. Some haulers like Husker Refuse include 1 free bulk item per month with service. This guide covers every disposal option for City of Lincoln residents.
The Lincoln rule for yard waste: Grass and leaves are banned from the trash April 1 to December 1; subscribe to your hauler's yard waste service or take it to North 48th Street. December through March it can go with household trash.
Program basics: Set by your hauler. North 48th Street: loads covered and secured, trailers under 60 square feet; 9 tires per customer. Only on a date your hauler confirms.
What the city will not take: Nothing is collected free citywide. Grass and leaves are banned from the trash April 1 to December 1.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Lincoln: Solid Waste Management facilities, City of Lincoln: Solid Waste and Recycling FAQ (tires, haulers). Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why yard waste are different from ordinary bulk. Bundling rules are where most yard waste gets skipped. Branches typically must be under 4 feet long and 4 to 6 inches in diameter, tied in bundles under 40 to 50 pounds, and limited to a number of bundles per week. Leaves go in paper bags or carts, not plastic, in most programs because the material is composted. Plastic bags of leaves are the most common curbside rejection.
Three mistakes that get yard waste left at the curb:
Paid options cover stumps, large tree removals, and heavy loads of sod and soil.
Stump grinding
$100 to $400 per stumpGrinding a stump in place to below grade is cheaper and easier than removing it. The grindings can be left as mulch or bagged as yard waste where the program allows wood chips.
Mark utilities first. Call 811 before grinding near service lines.
LoadUp paid yard waste pickup
$80+For Lincoln households needing in-home pickup, items beyond your hauler’s bulk policy, items the landfill won’t accept, or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multi-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Lincoln area for upfront-priced pickup.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your yard waste. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book yard waste pickup in Lincoln with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Lincoln proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Lincoln junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national yard waste disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Lincoln: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Lincoln pick up yard waste for free?
Hauler yard waste subscription or North 48th Street during the ban; with trash December to March.
How much does paid yard waste removal cost in Lincoln?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single yard waste pickup in Lincoln starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Lincoln households needing in-home pickup, items beyond your hauler’s bulk policy, items the landfill won’t accept, or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multi-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Lincoln area for upfront-priced pickup.
How do I put yard waste out for pickup?
Leaves and clippings in paper lawn bags or the green cart, not plastic. Branches cut to the length limit (usually 4 feet), under the diameter limit (usually 4 to 6 inches), tied in bundles under 40 to 50 pounds. Check your city’s weekly bundle limit and season in the directory below.
Why can’t I use plastic bags?
Because yard waste is composted or ground into mulch, and plastic contaminates the product. Most programs require paper bags or carts; a few accept plastic bags that crews empty and leave behind.
Which states ban yard waste from landfills?
More than 20 states ban some or all yard waste from landfills, including Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Delaware among others. That is why curbside programs are so common.
What do I do with a tree stump?
Grind it in place ($100 to $400), dig it out and take it to a transfer station as inert material, or list it free for someone who wants firewood or a planter. Most curbside programs exclude stumps and root balls.
Is this Lincoln page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Lincoln guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.