Buffalo Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk Collection 2026
Find your Buffalo collection day, understand the green & blue tote system, large bulk season by Council District, and everything about waste collection in Buffalo, NY.
City of Buffalo · Department of Public Works, Parks & Streets · Buffalo Recycles · Updated March 2026
Find Your Buffalo Collection Day
Select your collection day to instantly see your full weekly schedule — garbage, recycling, small bulk rules, and 2026 holiday impact.
👈 Select your day above to see your complete Buffalo collection schedule.
⚠ Don’t know your day? Use the City of Buffalo interactive map at buffalony.gov or call Buffalo 311 (716-851-5555). See all contact options ↓
Buffalo Waste Collection — Quick Facts
The City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, Parks & Streets (DPW) manages trash and yard waste. Recycling is handled by a separate contractor, Republic Services. Both services run on the same day each week. Buffalo serves over 86,000 weekly collection locations. Your specific day is address-based.
Buffalo’s Green & Blue Totes — Which Is Which
Buffalo uses two City-issued totes for residential collection. Both are collected on the same day each week, by separate trucks. Getting the colors right is critical — contaminating the wrong tote can result in an “Oops Tag” being left on your green recycling tote instead of collection.
🟢 Green Tote — RECYCLING
All recyclables: plastic food containers #1–7 (except bags & foam), paper, glass jars & bottles, metal cans, cookware. Place items clean & loose with arrow facing the street.
Collected by Republic Services.
Weekly • Same day as garbage🔵 Blue Tote — GARBAGE
All household garbage that is not recyclable. Bag and tie all trash. Do not overfill — lid must close completely. Totes have weight limits (see below).
Collected by City DPW Sanitation.
Weekly • Same day as recycling⏰ Set-Out Rules — Both Totes
- Set out totes after 7:00 p.m. the evening before your collection day. Setting out before 7 p.m. is a code violation.
- Totes must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day.
- Place the green recycling tote with the arrow facing the street.
- Remove totes from the curb no later than 8:00 p.m. on your collection day. Leaving totes curbside overnight is a violation.
- Totes must be stored in the rear yard or side yard (at least 10 feet from the front of the house) between collections — not in the front yard.
- All garbage must be bagged and tied inside the blue tote. Loose garbage inside the tote is not acceptable.
⚖ Tote Weight Limits
Do not overfill totes beyond these weight limits — overweight totes can damage equipment and injure collection workers:
| Tote Size | Max Weight |
|---|---|
| 35-gallon | 46 pounds |
| 65-gallon | 85 pounds |
| 95-gallon | 125 pounds |
Buffalo Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026
Buffalo has one of the simplest holiday schedules of any major US city: only Christmas Day and New Year’s Day cause a collection delay. All other holidays — MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving — are fully normal service days for both the City Sanitation Department and Republic Services recycling.
When either holiday falls on a weekday, collection for that day and all subsequent days that week shifts one day later, through Saturday. Monday routes on a holiday week are not affected (the holiday was on Monday, so Monday already shifted to Tuesday; all others follow).
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Impact | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 | 1-Day Delay | Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: fully normal |
| MLK Day | Mon, Jan 19 | Normal | DPW and Republic Services work. No delay. |
| Presidents’ Day | Mon, Feb 16 | Normal | DPW and Republic Services work. No delay. |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | Normal | DPW and Republic Services work. No delay. |
| Independence Day | Sat, Jul 4 | Normal | Falls on Saturday — no weekday impact. |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | Normal | DPW and Republic Services work. No delay. |
| Veterans’ Day | Wed, Nov 11 | Normal | DPW and Republic Services work. No delay. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | Normal | DPW and Republic Services work. No delay. |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | 1-Day Delay | Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: fully normal that week |
| New Year’s Day 2027 | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 1-Day Delay | Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: fully normal that week |
Buffalo Recycling — What Goes in the Green Tote
Buffalo uses single-stream weekly recycling in the green tote, collected on the same day as your garbage by Republic Services. Items must be clean, rinsed, and placed loose in the tote — no bags. Place the green tote with the arrow facing the street so the automated arm can grip it correctly.
Buffalo accepts all plastic food containers labeled #1 through #7, with two exceptions: no plastic bags (grocery store drop-off) and no Styrofoam (white foam only accepted at special events). This is more inclusive than most US cities, which often only accept #1, #2, and #5. Plastic lawn furniture is also accepted in Buffalo’s green tote.
✅ Accepted in the Green Recycling Tote
- Plastic food containers #1–7 (bottles, jugs, tubs, yogurt cups, produce clamshells, etc.) — rinsed
- Plastic lawn furniture
- Paper: newspapers, magazines, catalogs, office paper, junk mail, cardboard (dry, flattened)
- Glass food containers and jars — rinsed
- Metal: aluminum cans, steel cans, tin cans, metal cookware
- Extra recyclables in clear plastic bags (when tote is full)
🚫 Never in the Green Tote
- Plastic bags or plastic film → grocery store drop-off
- Styrofoam / polystyrene → special events only (clean white foam)
- Food or liquids → rinse all containers first
- Electronics (TVs, computers) → 1120 Seneca St drop-off
- Building materials, dirt, stones, concrete
- Tires, hazardous materials, paint
🚫 Oops Tag — What It Means
If Republic Services finds non-recyclable material in your green tote, they will attach an “Oops Tag” to the tote handle instead of collecting it. Remove the contaminating item, place it in the blue garbage tote, and put the green tote out on your next scheduled recycling day. Oops Tags are educational — not fines — but a tote with an Oops Tag will not be collected until the issue is resolved.
Buffalo Yard & Leaf Waste Collection
The City of Buffalo collects yard waste from April through November on your regular trash collection day. Yard waste must be placed in clear plastic bags or tied bundles and set out alongside your regular totes. There is no separate yard waste container — use clear bags or tied bundles only.
🌿 Yard Waste Rules
- Place yard waste in clear plastic bags, tied closed. No paper bags for yard waste in Buffalo (opposite of some other cities).
- Grass clippings, leaves, and small brush must be in clear bags. Branches must be in tied bundles, maximum 4 feet long.
- Yard waste in clear bags counts as your small bulk allowance (see the Small Bulk section below). Each clear bag or bundle counts as one piece of your 2-item weekly limit.
- No dirt, sod, rocks, or plastic pots.
- No invasive plant species in regular yard waste bags — bag separately and label.
🍂 Fall Leaf Collection
Buffalo runs a separate fall leaf collection program each year, typically in October and November. Dates and leaf collection areas are announced annually by the Mayor’s office. During leaf season, residents may rake leaves to the curb (in a designated strip) for a separate leaf vacuum truck. Watch for official City announcements at buffalony.gov each fall.
🎄 Christmas Tree Collection
The City of Buffalo collects natural Christmas trees curbside from approximately January 2 through January 20 on your regular garbage collection day. Place the tree at the curb on your scheduled day — trees will be picked up separately from regular garbage, so do not be concerned if the garbage truck passes without taking it. Trees must be completely free of ornaments, tinsel, lights, and plastic bags. You can also drop off trees at 1120 Seneca Street and have them chipped on-site for mulch.
Buffalo Small Bulk Pickup — 2 Items Every Regular Collection Day
Every Buffalo residential property is entitled to 2 pieces of bulk trash on every regular collection day — no appointment needed. This is included in your weekly service. Bulk items are those that cannot fit in your blue garbage tote: furniture, appliances, large toys, bundled branches, mattresses, box springs, carpet sections, and similar oversized items.
Each “piece” counts as one item. For example: one couch counts as one piece; one 4-foot tied bundle of branches counts as one piece. You get 2 pieces total per week.
✅ Accepted as Small Bulk (2/week)
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames
- Mattresses and box springs
- Appliances: refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, washers, dryers
- Box of miscellaneous household items
- Large toys and exercise equipment
- Carpet in 4-foot sections
- Bundles of wood and brush (max 4 ft long)
- Yard waste in clear bags (counts toward 2-piece limit)
🚫 NEVER at the Curb — Ever
- TVs and computer monitors → 1120 Seneca St e-waste drop-off
- Computers and electronics → 1120 Seneca St
- Tires → special tire collection events
- Construction debris, building materials
- Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, oil)
- More than 4 cubic yards outside of bulk season
Buffalo Large Bulk Season — Spring & Fall by Council District
Twice a year — in spring (typically April through July) and fall (typically July through September) — the City of Buffalo organizes a Large Bulk Trash collection season. Each of Buffalo’s 9 Council Districts is assigned its own designated week. During that week, residents may set out up to 4 cubic yards of bulk trash at the curb in addition to their regular 2-piece weekly allowance.
The 2026 Large Bulk Schedule is announced by the Mayor’s office each spring and fall. Check buffalony.gov or call 311 for your district’s designated dates once announced.
📌 Large Bulk Season Rules — Critical
- Residents must set out large bulk trash on the Sunday designated for their Council District. The City cannot say exactly when a truck will arrive on your street during that week, so set it out on Sunday.
- Maximum pile size: 4 cubic yards — 12 feet long × 3 feet high × 3 feet wide. Setting out more than 4 cubic yards is subject to a $350 fine.
- Setting bulk trash out before or after the Sunday designated for your district is subject to a $52.50 fine.
- Follow all posted parking regulations in your neighborhood to ensure truck access to piles.
- The same prohibitions apply: no TVs, no computers, no tires, no construction debris, no hazardous materials. These items will not be collected and may result in a summons.
🏭 Find Your Council District
Buffalo has 9 Council Districts. Your Council District determines your Large Bulk Season dates each spring and fall. Find your district using the City’s interactive map at buffalony.gov or by entering your address in Buffalo’s online tools. Call Buffalo 311 at (716) 851-5555 to confirm your district and upcoming bulk dates.
Buffalo Electronics, Hazardous Waste & Tire Drop-Off
⚡ E-Waste Drop-Off — 1120 Seneca Street
Televisions, computers, and all electronics must be taken to 1120 Seneca Street, Buffalo, NY 14210. This is the City’s Electronics Recyclers International (ERI) drop-off location, operated by the City. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and first Saturday of the month, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Limit: 5 items per year, per household. Residents only — businesses should contact Sunnking at (716) 685-4577. Senior citizens and disabled residents may call 311 to make special pickup arrangements.
⚠ Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-Off
Paints, motor oil, gasoline, pesticides, propane tanks, and other hazardous materials must be disposed of at special City HHW events held approximately twice per year. Universal waste — fluorescent bulbs, rechargeable batteries, and mercury-containing items — can be dropped off at 1120 Seneca Street during regular hours. For current HHW event dates, call Buffalo 311 at (716) 851-5555 or visit buffalony.gov. Paint can also be dropped off at PaintCare locations — find yours at paintcare.org.
🚘 Tire Drop-Off Events
Tires are never accepted curbside in Buffalo (not in bulk, not in totes, not during Large Bulk Season). The City hosts 4 scheduled tire collection days per year at Broadway Garage, 197 Broadway (7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., limit 4 tires per household). Additional tire drop-off opportunities are available at some HHW events. Call 311 for current 2026 tire drop-off dates.
🏠 East Side Transfer Station
Owner-occupied property residents can drop off up to 1 ton of regular household garbage at the East Side Transfer Station, 793 South Ogden Street. Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Saturday 8:00 a.m. to Noon. Bring a driver’s license and utility bill as proof of residency. Appliances (fridges, stoves) are also accepted here.
Buffalo Food Scraps — Community Drop-Off (Orange Tote)
Buffalo does not currently offer curbside food scrap collection. However, the City’s “34 and More” recycling initiative includes a community food scrap drop-off program using orange totes at select locations throughout the city. Residents are encouraged to store food scraps for up to one week before dropping them off.
🌿 Accepted Food Scraps
Fruits, vegetables, grains, bread, pasta, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags (paper only), and similar food waste. Check buffalorecycles.org for the full list of accepted items and current orange tote drop-off locations.
What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Buffalo
- Confirm your correct collection day. Use the Collection Day Finder above or call Buffalo 311 at (716) 851-5555. Verify your address is within Buffalo city limits and subject to the Residential User Fee.
- Check for a holiday delay. Only Christmas Day and New Year’s Day cause delays in Buffalo. All other holidays are normal service days. Check the holiday table above.
- Verify tote placement: green tote with arrow facing the street; blue tote with lid fully closed; both at the curb by 7:00 a.m.; set out after 7:00 p.m. the prior evening.
- For missed garbage: leave your blue tote out and call Buffalo 311 at (716) 851-5555. A truck will return.
- For missed recycling: leave your green tote out and call 311. Republic Services will return for the missed pickup. Check for any Oops Tag first — if one is present, remove the contaminant before reporting.
Buffalo Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to Buffalo or Just Moved In?
The most important thing to know: Buffalo’s green tote is for recycling and the blue tote is for garbage — the opposite of most other US cities. Call Buffalo 311 at (716) 851-5555 to confirm your collection day and find your Council District (which determines your Large Bulk Season dates). Sign up for city email alerts at buffalorecycles.org for upcoming recycling events, HHW dates, and tire collection days.
⛄️ Buffalo Winter — Snow & Collection
- Buffalo receives some of the heaviest lake-effect snowfall in the US. Major storms can delay collection by several days.
- During active storms, do not set totes out until snow has stopped and your street is plowed.
- After storms, shovel out a path to your totes and clear snow from around them so the automated arm can access them.
- Do not push snow around or on top of totes — frozen or buried totes cannot be serviced.
🚫 5 Mistakes Buffalo Residents Make
- Putting recyclables in the blue tote and garbage in the green tote — check the colors again: green = recycling, blue = garbage
- Setting totes out before 7:00 p.m. the prior evening — code violation
- Leaving totes curbside after 8:00 p.m. on collection day — another code violation
- Putting a TV or computer curbside — never allowed at any time; now being summonsed
- Setting out large bulk before the designated Sunday during Large Bulk Season — $52.50 fine
Contact Buffalo DPW & Buffalo 311
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Buffalo 311 | 📞 (716) 851-5555 — missed pickups, collection day confirmation, Council District, bulk pickup scheduling, tote requests, all city services |
| DPW Main Line | 📞 (716) 851-5014 · 65 Niagara Square, Room 502, Buffalo, NY 14202 · buffalony.gov/DPW |
| Buffalo Recycles | buffalorecycles.org — recycling guide, What Goes Where, upcoming events, food scrap drop-off locations, apartment bin program |
| E-Waste Drop-Off | 1120 Seneca Street, Buffalo, NY 14210 · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–3 p.m. · First Saturday monthly 8 a.m.–2 p.m. · Limit 5 items/year/household · Seniors: call 311 for pickup |
| East Side Transfer Station | 793 South Ogden Street · Mon–Fri 7–9 a.m. & 1–3 p.m. · Sat 8 a.m.–Noon · Up to 1 ton garbage, owner-occupied properties · Bring ID + utility bill |
| Pick & Pay (Special Bulk) | 📞 (716) 851-4890 — fee-based bulk pickup on demand, year-round; starts at $150. Must call first before placing items curbside. |
| Tire Collection | Broadway Garage, 197 Broadway · 4 events/year, 7 a.m.–3 p.m., 4 tires max · Call 311 for 2026 dates |
| HHW Events | ~2 events/year · Call 311 for 2026 dates · Universal waste (bulbs, batteries, mercury) year-round at 1120 Seneca St · Paint: paintcare.org |
Frequently Asked Questions — Buffalo Trash Pickup
Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?
If the Collection Day Finder above and all the information on this page haven’t resolved your question, use the official City of Buffalo tools below. The interactive map at buffalony.gov lets you enter your address to see your collection day, Council District, and Large Bulk Season schedule. Calling Buffalo 311 is always the most direct option.
🔍 Official Buffalo Lookup & Contact Options
All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule and service eligibility:
🔍 Open Official Buffalo Sanitation Page 📞 Call 311 — (716) 851-5555| Sanitation & Schedule Info | buffalony.gov — Streets/Sanitation — collection rules, bulk pickup info, tote information, e-waste and HHW guidance. |
| Bulk Trash Schedule | buffalony.gov/bulk-trash — interactive map showing your Council District and current Large Bulk Season dates. Also shows collection day by address. |
| Buffalo 311 | 📞 (716) 851-5555 — collection day confirmation, missed pickup reports, tote requests, Council District, and all city services. |
| Buffalo Recycles | buffalorecycles.org — recycling guide, upcoming events, food scrap orange tote locations, apartment bin program, FAQ. |
You will leave this website when using any of the links above.
Trash & Recycling Schedules for Cities Near Buffalo
Looking for waste collection information in another northeastern city? Here are the five closest cities we’ve already covered: