Huntington's Trash & Recycling: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles trash & recycling a little differently. In Huntington, New York, there are 10 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Recycling Requirements

Huntington mandates single-stream recycling of paper, cardboard, plastics 1-7, metal cans, and glass under Chapter 156. Source separation of yard waste required. Commercial recycling mandated per NY ECL 27-0717.

Key details: System: Single-stream. Mandatory: Yes under Chapter 156. Yard Waste: Separated. Electronics: Ban from trash. Commercial: Required by state.

Failure to recycle: 50-500 dollar fines under Chapter 156. Commercial violations can reach 1,000 dollars per day.

This is one of the stricter rules in Huntington's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Dumpster Rules

Huntington requires a Town Clerk permit before any dumpster, compactor unit or roll-off container can hold solid waste, at $25 per container. Containers must show the owner's name and phone number in four-inch letters, and unlicensed units left on public property are treated as abandoned and can be seized.

Key details: Permit issuer: Huntington Town Clerk. Container permit fee: $25 per unit (§117-7(A)). ID markings required: Owner name/phone, 4-inch letters. Impound fee: $500 plus $50/day. Forfeiture: After 30 days unclaimed.

Violating the container-permit requirement under § 117-2(B) carries its own penalty schedule in § 117-34(B): a fine of $250 to $2,500 or up to 10 days in jail for a first offense, $500 to $3,500 or up to 15 days for a second offense within five years, and $750 to $5,000 or up to 30 days for a third offense, prosecuted as a misdemeanor. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense before the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication.

This is one of the stricter rules in Huntington's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Holiday Pickup Schedule

When a Huntington collection day falls on a cancelled holiday, residents may put out up to twelve bags or cans of household garbage on the next scheduled pickup day, double the normal six-item limit, as long as everything was generated on that property.

Key details: Normal set-out limit: 6 bags or cans. Holiday makeup limit: 12 bags or cans. Applies to: Household Garbage only. Excluded: Yard waste, bulk items. Schedule source: Annual Trash & Recycling Calendar.

Exceeding the twelve-item holiday allowance, or including yard waste or bulk items within the count, is treated the same as any other storage violation under § 117-21 and is punishable under § 117-34(B): a fine of $250 to $2,500 or up to ten days for a first offense, escalating to $750 to $5,000 or thirty days for a third offense within five years.

Collection Schedule

Huntington bans solid-waste collection between 3:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and on Sundays or holidays when Town facilities are closed. Curbside recyclables are picked up once a week, never before 5:00 a.m., alternating between cardboard/paper and commingled glass, metal and plastic containers.

Key details: No collection: 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.. No collection: Sundays, closed holidays. Commercial evening window: 3:45-4:15 p.m.. Recycling frequency: Once weekly, alternating streams. Earliest recycling pickup: 5:00 a.m..

Collecting outside the permitted hours, or on a Sunday or holiday when Town facilities are closed, violates § 117-22 and is punishable under § 117-34(B): a fine of $250 to $2,500 or up to ten days in jail for a first offense, rising to $750 to $5,000 or thirty days for a third offense within five years.

Illegal Dumping

It is unlawful to dump solid or liquid waste anywhere in Huntington except a licensed Town facility, or to run a property as a dumping ground or transfer station. First offenders face $500 to $5,000 in fines or up to ten days in jail, rising to a misdemeanor on a third offense.

Key details: First-offense fine: $500-$5,000 (§117-34(A)). Second-offense fine: $2,000-$10,000. Third offense: Misdemeanor, up to 6 months. Civil penalty option: $100-$2,500 per violation. Town may recover: Cleanup costs (§117-34(G)).

First-offense illegal dumping draws a $500 to $5,000 fine, up to ten days in jail, or both, under § 117-34(A). A second offense within five years rises to $2,000-$10,000, and a third becomes a misdemeanor carrying $4,000-$15,000 or up to six months. Each continuing day is a separate offense, and the Town Attorney may separately sue for cleanup costs and civil penalties up to $2,500 per violation.

This is one of the stricter rules in Huntington's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Recycling Rules

Huntington residents on curbside service must sort recyclables from trash, alternating weekly between cardboard/paper and commingled glass/metal/plastic, in labeled 42-gallon, 50-pound containers, set out no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before pickup and never mixed with regular waste.

Key details: Sorting rule: No mixing recyclables with trash. Container spec: 42 gal/50 lb, 2 Town decals. Collection cycle: Weekly, alternating paper/commingled. Cardboard bundle limit: 4 ft long, 50 lbs. Curb placement window: 6 p.m. night before to noon after.

Violations of § 117-21 (recycling storage/placement) or § 117-23 (source separation) are punished under § 117-34(B) for § 117-21 conduct: $250 to $2,500 for a first offense, $500 to $3,500 for a second offense within five years, and a misdemeanor of $750 to $5,000 or up to 30 days' imprisonment for a third; conduct charged directly under § 117-23 falls to the general § 117-34(A) range of $500 to $5,000 for a first offense. Each day a violation continues after notice is a separate offense.

Yard Waste Collection

Huntington caps yard waste at ten receptacles, bags or bundles per collection and bans mixing it with regular trash. Branches must be bundled into pieces no bigger than two feet by two feet by four feet and under fifty pounds, or protrude no more than twelve inches above an open container's rim.

Key details: Max per collection: 10 receptacles, bags or bundles. Bundle size cap: 2'x2'x4', 50 lbs max. Branch protrusion limit: 12 inches above rim. Excluded materials: Dirt, rocks, mulch, stumps. Separation rule: Must not mix with trash.

Commingling yard waste with regular trash, exceeding the ten-item limit, or putting out land-clearing debris that does not qualify as Residential Yard Waste is a § 117-21 violation, punishable under § 117-34(B) with a fine of $250 to $2,500 or up to ten days in jail for a first offense, rising for repeat offenses within five years.

Bulk Item Disposal

Huntington caps residential bulk-item pickup at four items on the second collection day of the week, defines a bulk item as anything bigger than 2 by 2 by 4 feet or over 50 pounds, and requires mattresses and box springs to be sealed in a bedbug-proof bag before being set out.

Key details: Bulk item size trigger: Over 2x2x4 ft or 50+ lbs. Max items per pickup: 4 items, second weekly date only. Mattress rule: Must use sealed bedbug-proof bag. Lumber/crates limit: Broken down to 4-ft pieces. First-offense fine: $250 to $2,500.

A violation of § 117-21 (bulk item storage/placement limits) or § 117-26 (bulk item restrictions) is punished under § 117-34(B): $250 to $2,500 for a first offense, $500 to $3,500 for a second offense within five years, and a misdemeanor punishable by $750 to $5,000 or up to 30 days' imprisonment, or both, for a third or subsequent offense within five years. Each day a violation continues after notice is a separate offense.

Bin Placement Rules

Huntington residents must keep household garbage in closed receptacles under fifty pounds or forty-two gallons, with no more than six cans or bags out at once. Cans go to the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before pickup and must return behind the front of the house by noon the next day.

Key details: Earliest set-out: 6:00 p.m. day before collection. Removal deadline: Noon day after collection. Receptacle cap: 50 lbs or 42 gallons. Max per set-out: 6 receptacles or bags. Enforcing agency: Dept. of Environmental Waste Management.

Putting out more than six cans, setting materials at the curb outside the 6 p.m.-to-noon window, or leaving waste not generated on the property violates § 117-21 and is enforced under § 117-34(B): a fine of $250 to $2,500 (or up to 10 days) for a first offense, rising to $750 to $5,000 for a third offense within five years.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Huntington limits residential household garbage to six 50-pound, 42-gallon receptacles per collection, curbside no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before pickup, removed by noon the next day, with no collection allowed between 3:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. or on Sundays and holidays.

Key details: Max receptacles per pickup: 6 bags/cans (household garbage). Receptacle limit: 50 lbs or 42 gallons each. Curb placement window: 6 p.m. night before to noon after. No collection hours: 3:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sundays, holidays. First-offense fine: $250 to $2,500.

Violations of § 117-21 (storage/placement) or § 117-22 (collection standards) carry a dedicated penalty under § 117-34(B): a fine of $250 to $2,500 for a first offense, $500 to $3,500 for a second offense within five years, and a misdemeanor with a fine of $750 to $5,000 or up to 30 days' imprisonment, or both, for a third or subsequent offense within five years. Each day a violation continues after notice is a separate offense, enforceable through the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication.

The Bottom Line

Huntington is tougher than many cities when it comes to trash & recycling. Out of the 10 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Huntington, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Huntington's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.