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Pick-up Guidelines

Residential Trash: to be placed on curbside evening before collection day (no more than 24 hours prior to collection; no later than 5:00 a.m. day of collection).

Recyclables: to be placed in green cart and set at curb on evening before collection. All the following recyclables may be placed together, loose in the cart. Please do not put plastic bags in your recycling cart. Please make sure your green cart is facing the street and that the hinges and wheels are away from the street. Please also make sure that your cart is at least one foot away from other obstacles such as utility poles and other carts, and is reachable from the street.

Recycling bin placement

Recyclables Include:

  • Paper – including white, color, glossy, newsprint and softcover books.
  • Paper Board – including milk cartons, cereal boxes, pasta boxes.
  • Cardboard – corrugated cardboard.  Pizza boxes may be recycled only if free of food and grease.  You may separate a clean pizza box lid from the greasy lower portion to recycle the lid.
  • Glass Bottles & Jars – please rinse.  Lids are okay.
  • Plastic Food & Beverage Containers – plastic bottles, jars and hard plastic containers and lids with recycling symbol and #1-7.  Please rinse. Lids are okay.
  • Metal Cans, Foils and Trays – including aluminum foil and aluminum trays.

Please do not recycle the following:

  • Plastic Bags – please never put plastic bags in your recycling bin.  If you have clean plastic bags which you wish to recycle you may recycle them at Waterbury Target, Stop & Shop and Shop Rite stores.  For Details on recycling plastic bags and wrap visit http://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/.
  • Plastic Foam – ex foam cups, packing peanuts, block foam.
  • Food Contaminated Material – ex. greasy pizza boxes, aluminum trays with baked on food, etc.
  • Non-Bottle/Jar Glass – ex. window glass, light bulbs, china.
  • Electronics – Recycle televisions, computers, phones and other electronics either at Waterbury’s Mark Lane Facility or Take 2, Inc.
  • Paper Cups/Paper Plates/Paper Napkins 

Junk: schedule pick-up of oversized trash items, such as furniture, by calling 203-574-6857.  Curbside collection of junk is limited to 5 items per pick-up day and must come from residences not businesses.  To find out what the upcoming dates are for junk collection check the Refuse Schedule.  When making your call provide address and a description of the items you are putting out.  Place the items at curb only after receiving a pick-up date from Public Works and no more than 24 before that date.  Also call to schedule pick-up of scrap metal and devices containing coolants such as refrigerators and air conditioners.  Residents may also deliver two loads of junk (“bulky waste”) to the Mark Lane Facility, 220 Mark Lane.  Recycle old electronics, such as computers and televisions, by bringing to Mark Lane or Take 2, Inc.   Electronics will not be picked up if left at curbside.  Electronics recycling drop-off is free for residents.  Businesses must make their own arrangements for discarding electronics, junk, and other oversized items. 

Yard Waste: grass clippings and leaves, must be in bio-degradable paper bags only; brush must be cut and tied, no more than 4 inches in diameter, no longer than 4 feet long.