Trash Pickup Schedule in NYC , New York City

Last updated: June 2026 | Reviewed by Fran A., Editor-in-Chief

New York City has one of the largest municipal garbage collection systems in the world. The NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) serves over 3.2 million households across five boroughs — collecting trash, recycling, and organics six days a week on a fixed zone-based schedule.

If you live in NYC and need to know your pickup day, your recycling schedule, or what happens to your collection during holidays, this is the complete 2026 guide.

⚠️ Important Note

Trash pickup days in NYC are assigned by address — not by borough or neighborhood. Two buildings on the same block can have different pickup days depending on which side of the street they’re on.

Always look up your specific address using the DSNY zone finder at nyc.gov/sanitation before relying on general neighborhood information.

How NYC Trash Collection Works

Provider

NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Founded in 1881, DSNY is one of the world’s largest urban sanitation departments. It employs over 10,000 workers and operates more than 2,000 collection trucks across the five boroughs. All residential collection in NYC is city-managed — there are no private haulers for standard household trash.

Collection Days

NYC residential garbage is collected six days a week — Monday through Saturday. Sunday is the only day with no residential collection.

Each address in the city is assigned specific days for:

Regular trash (collected 3x per week in most areas)
Recycling (metal, glass, plastic — 1–2x per week)
Paper and cardboard (1–2x per week)
Organics / food scraps (weekly, in participating districts)

The Three-Collection System

Unlike most U.S. cities where trash is collected once per week, NYC collects regular garbage up to three times per week at most residential addresses. This is because NYC’s density — over 27,000 people per square mile in Manhattan — makes weekly collection impractical for managing street-level bin space.

How to Find Your NYC Trash Pickup Day

Method 1 – DSNY Online Address Lookup (Fastest)

URL: nyc.gov/sanitation → “Find My Collection Schedule”

Enter your address and the tool will show:

Your garbage collection days (typically 3 days per week)
Your recycling collection days (metal, glass, plastic)
Your paper and cardboard collection days
Your organics collection day (if your district participates)
Your next scheduled pickup date for each service

This is the only reliable way to find your exact schedule. NYC’s zone boundaries are extremely granular — even-numbered and odd-numbered sides of the same street can have different schedules.

Method 2 – NYC 311 App

Download the NYC 311 app (iOS and Android) → tap “Services” → “Sanitation” → “Find My Collection Schedule.” The app uses your location or address to pull your exact schedule and also allows you to set pickup day reminders.

Method 3 – Call 311

Dial 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK from outside NYC). Tell the operator your address and ask for your garbage and recycling collection days. Operators can confirm all collection days for your address in under two minutes.

NYC Recycling Schedule 2026

NYC operates a dual-stream recycling system:

Stream 1 – Metal, Glass, and Plastic (MGP) Collected in blue bags or blue bins. Accepted items:

Aluminum and steel cans (rinsed)
Glass bottles and jars (rinsed)
Plastic bottles, jugs, and containers (rinsed) — most #1 and #2 plastics
Aerosol cans (empty)
Foil and foil pans

Stream 2 – Paper and Cardboard Collected loose or bundled. Accepted items:

Newspapers, magazines, catalogs
Office paper, envelopes
Cardboard boxes (broken down flat)
Paperboard (cereal boxes, paper towel rolls)
Phone books and paper bags

What is NOT accepted in NYC curbside recycling:

Plastic bags (take to grocery store drop-offs)
Styrofoam / polystyrene
Greasy pizza boxes
Wax-coated cardboard
Glass that is not a bottle or jar (no windows, mirrors, light bulbs)
Electronics (requires separate e-waste drop-off)
Clothing and textiles (use NYC textile collection bins)

NYC Organics Collection (Food Scraps)

NYC has expanded its curbside organics program significantly in recent years. Food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste are collected in brown bins in participating districts.

Accepted in brown bins:

Fruit and vegetable scraps
Meat, fish, and bones
Dairy products
Bread and grains
Coffee grounds and filters, tea bags
Food-soiled paper (napkins, paper towels, paper plates)

As of 2026, the organics program covers all five boroughs on a rolling basis. Check nyc.gov/organics or use the DSNY address lookup to confirm whether your address is included.

NYC Trash Pickup Rules – What You Need to Know

When to Put Trash Out

NYC has specific rules about when residents can set trash at the curb — and violations carry fines.

For residential buildings with 1–9 units: Trash cannot be placed at the curb earlier than 8:00 PM the evening before your collection day. It must be out by 4:00 AM on collection day.

For residential buildings with 10+ units: Trash cannot be placed earlier than 4:00 PM the day before collection and must be out by 4:00 AM on collection day.

Important 2026 update — Containerization rule: NYC has been rolling out a mandatory containerization program requiring trash to be placed in sealed containers rather than loose bags on the sidewalk. As of 2026, containerization requirements apply to many building types. Check nyc.gov/sanitation for the current timeline and requirements for your building size.

👉 Related: How Early Should You Put Trash Out the Night Before?

Bin Placement Rules

Bags or containers must be placed at the curb — not in the middle of the sidewalk
Recyclables must be separated from regular trash
Cardboard must be broken down flat and bundled or stacked neatly
Bins must not block fire hydrants, bus stops, or crosswalks

What Cannot Go in the Regular Trash

Electronics (TVs, computers, phones) — illegal to trash in NY State
Hazardous materials (paint, chemicals, batteries)
Propane tanks or gas cylinders
Hot ashes
Construction debris (drywall, lumber, concrete)
Tires
Medical waste or sharps

NYC Holiday Trash Schedule 2026

DSNY observes all 11 federal holidays. On each observed holiday, all collection is suspended for that day and every route for the rest of that week shifts forward by one day.

2026 NYC Holiday Collection Schedule

Holiday	2026 Date	Day	Effect on Collection
New Year’s Day	January 1	Thursday	Thu + Fri routes delayed one day
MLK Day	January 19	Monday	All week routes delayed one day
Presidents’ Day	February 16	Monday	All week routes delayed one day
Memorial Day	May 25	Monday	All week routes delayed one day
Juneteenth	June 19	Friday	Fri routes delayed to Saturday
Independence Day	July 4	Saturday	Fri Jul 3 observed — Fri routes delayed
Labor Day	September 7	Monday	All week routes delayed one day
Columbus Day	October 12	Monday	All week routes delayed one day
Veterans Day	November 11	Wednesday	Wed + Thu + Fri routes delayed one day
Thanksgiving	November 26	Thursday	Thu + Fri routes delayed one day
Christmas Day	December 25	Friday	Fri routes delayed to Saturday

The rule: If a holiday falls on or before your collection day within that week, your pickup shifts forward by one day. If the holiday falls after your collection day, your schedule is unaffected that week.

NYC Bulk and Special Item Pickup

Bulk Item Collection (Large Items)

DSNY collects bulk items — furniture, appliances, mattresses — as part of its regular curbside service. There is no separate scheduling required for most items.

How it works:

Place items at the curb on your regular collection day
Items must be placed out no earlier than the night before your pickup day
Appliances with refrigerant (refrigerators, air conditioners) must have the refrigerant removed by a certified technician before curbside placement — DSNY provides this service free of charge by appointment at nyc.gov/sanitation

Items accepted for bulk curbside pickup:

Furniture (sofas, chairs, beds, dressers, tables)
Mattresses and box springs
Large appliances (with refrigerant removed if applicable)
Rugs and carpeting
Exercise equipment

Items NOT accepted curbside:

Tires (take to designated tire drop-offs)
Construction debris
Electronics (use NYC e-waste drop-off locations)
Hazardous materials

NYC Special Waste Drop-Off Sites

For items that can’t go in the regular trash or curbside bulk pickup, DSNY operates Special Waste Drop-Off Sites across all five boroughs. These accept:

Motor oil
Latex and oil-based paint
Household chemicals and cleaners
Batteries (all types)
Fluorescent bulbs
Electronics

Find your nearest site: nyc.gov/sanitation → “Special Waste”

Electronics Recycling (e-Waste)

New York State law prohibits disposing of electronics in the regular trash. NYC has several options:

NYC SAFE disposal events — scheduled events across the boroughs for hazardous waste and electronics
Manufacturer take-back programs — required by NY State law; many manufacturers accept their products for recycling
Retailer drop-offs — Best Buy, Staples, and others accept electronics for recycling
NYC e-Waste drop-off locations — permanent sites in each borough

Christmas Tree Pickup

DSNY collects live Christmas trees curbside as part of its annual “Mulchfest” program, typically running from late December through mid-January.

How to prepare your tree for pickup:

Remove all decorations, lights, tinsel, and stands
Do not bag the tree in plastic
Place it at the curb (not on top of trash or recycling)

Check nyc.gov/sanitation for the exact 2026–2027 Mulchfest dates and drop-off locations where trees are chipped into mulch on-site.

NYC Trash Pickup by Borough – Key Notes

Manhattan

Manhattan has the most frequent collection schedule in the city due to its extreme density. Most Manhattan addresses receive garbage pickup 3x per week. Containerization requirements are most strictly enforced in Manhattan.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn collection follows standard DSNY zone schedules. Large residential buildings and areas with significant commercial activity may have early-morning collection windows. Check the DSNY address lookup for your specific block.

Queens

Queens is the largest borough geographically and has significant variation in collection schedules by neighborhood. Both residential and mixed-use areas — from dense Forest Hills to more suburban Jamaica Estates — have very different pickup frequencies.

The Bronx

The Bronx follows standard DSNY collection schedules. The southern Bronx, with its higher density, typically has more frequent collection than northern residential neighborhoods.

Staten Island

Staten Island has the least dense collection schedule of the five boroughs, with many areas receiving garbage pickup 2x per week rather than 3x. Recycling frequency may also differ from other boroughs. Always verify using the DSNY address lookup.

How to Report a Missed Pickup in NYC

Method 1 – NYC 311 Online: nyc.gov/311 → “Report” → “Missed Collection” Method 2 – NYC 311 App: “Report” → “Sanitation” → “Missed Collection” Method 3 – Call: Dial 311

DSNY aims to return within 24 hours of a verified missed pickup report.

Before reporting, confirm:

Your bin was out before 4:00 AM on your collection day
The lid was fully closed
There were no obstructions around the bin
No holiday shifted your schedule that week

Fines and Violations in NYC

NYC actively enforces its sanitation rules through inspections and fines. Common violations and penalties as of 2026:

Violation	Fine Range
Trash set out too early	$50–$300
Recyclables not separated	$25–$500
Improper disposal of electronics	$100–$400
Overfilled bin / open lid	$25–$100
Trash not in proper containers (containerization rule)	$50–$300
Disposing of hazardous materials improperly	Up to $10,000

DSNY Sanitation Enforcement Agents (SEAs) patrol streets and issue summonses. Fines apply to building owners for multi-unit properties, and to individual residents for single-family homes.

👉 Related: What Is the Fine for Putting Trash Out Too Early?

Frequently Asked Questions – NYC Trash Pickup 2026

What day is trash pickup in NYC?

Your trash pickup day in NYC depends on your specific address and zone. NYC collects residential garbage up to 3 times per week. Find your exact days using the DSNY address lookup at nyc.gov/sanitation or by calling 311.

Is recycling picked up every week in NYC?

Yes. NYC recycling — both the MGP stream (metal, glass, plastic) and the paper/cardboard stream — is collected weekly. The two streams are collected on different days for most addresses. Use the DSNY address lookup to find both days for your address.

What time does the garbage truck come in NYC?

DSNY trucks run routes from approximately 6:00 AM through the afternoon in most neighborhoods. There is no guaranteed time — trucks follow routes and can arrive at any point during the collection window. Always have your bin out by 4:00 AM on your collection day.

Can I put trash out the night before in NYC?

Yes — in fact, this is required for most buildings. For buildings with 1–9 units, trash can be set out no earlier than 8:00 PM the evening before collection. For buildings with 10+ units, no earlier than 4:00 PM the day before. Setting trash out earlier than permitted is a fineable violation.

What happens to NYC trash during a holiday?

DSNY observes all 11 federal holidays. On each observed holiday, collection is suspended and all routes for the rest of that week shift forward by one day. If your pickup falls on a holiday, it moves to the next day. See the full 2026 holiday schedule above.

Does NYC pick up furniture and large items?

Yes. DSNY collects most bulk items — furniture, mattresses, appliances — at the curbside on your regular collection day. No separate scheduling is required for most items. Refrigerators and air conditioners need refrigerant removed first (DSNY provides this service free). Electronics and tires require separate disposal.

Is there a compost pickup in NYC?

Yes, and it expanded significantly in recent years. NYC’s curbside organics program now covers all five boroughs on a rolling basis. Food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste go in the brown bin. Check nyc.gov/organics with your address to confirm your participation and pickup day.

What is the NYC containerization rule?

NYC has been requiring residents and building owners to use sealed containers for trash rather than loose bags piled on the sidewalk. This rule is being phased in by building type. As of 2026, containerization requirements apply to many building categories. Check nyc.gov/sanitation for the current requirements for your building size and type.

Key Contacts and Resources

Resource	Contact
DSNY official website	nyc.gov/sanitation
Find my collection schedule	nyc.gov/sanitation → “Find My Collection Schedule”
Report missed pickup	nyc.gov/311 or call 311
NYC 311 app	Available on iOS and Android
Special waste drop-off	nyc.gov/sanitation → “Special Waste”
Bulk item / appliance pickup	nyc.gov/sanitation → “Bulk Items”
Organics program	nyc.gov/organics
DSNY general info	311 or 212-NEW-YORK

Related City Guides

Los Angeles Trash Collection Calendar 2026
Chicago Garbage Pickup Days by District
Houston Trash Pickup Schedule 2026
Philadelphia Garbage Collection Days 2026
Washington DC Trash Pickup Days 2026

Related Guides

This page is reviewed and updated annually. Last review: June 2026. Schedule information is based on publicly available DSNY data. For the most accurate pickup days for your specific address, always verify at nyc.gov/sanitation.

Written and maintained by Fran A., Founder & Editor-in-Chief — trashpickupscheduleday.com