How Yonkers Handles Trash & Recycling: A Practical Guide

Yonkers maintains 128 local ordinances across all categories, and 8 of those deal specifically with trash & recycling. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Yonkers falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Recycling Rules

Yonkers requires every household to separate recyclables from trash at the point of generation, a duty running since September 1, 1992 under City Code Chapter 92. Commingled metals, glass and plastics go out together in a designated bin, never bagged.

Key details: Duty began: September 1, 1992. Commingled stream: Metal, glass, plastic together, unbagged. Enforcing agency: DPW and Yonkers Police. First offense: Written warning or Class III. Max criminal fine: $1,000 (Class III).

Failing to source-separate or comply with DPW recycling rules is unlawful under § 92-12(A). A first violation draws a written warning or a Class III offense; a second violation within three years of a warning is automatically a Class III offense. Under § 1-21(A)(3), a Class III offense carries a criminal fine up to $1,000 or a civil penalty up to $1,500, and each day of continuing noncompliance is a separate offense (§ 92-12(C)).

Bin Placement Rules

Yonkers requires household waste, commingled recyclables, newsprint and cardboard to be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on the assigned collection day under City Code § 92-5(E). Miss the cutoff and the material waits for the next scheduled route.

Key details: Set-out deadline: 7:00 a.m. collection day. Applies to: Household waste, recyclables, newsprint, cardboard. Enforcing agencies: DPW and Yonkers Police. Schedule changes: Two weeks' newspaper notice required. First-offense penalty: Written warning or Class III.

Setting materials out after the 7:00 a.m. deadline or otherwise failing to comply with DPW collection rules is unlawful under § 92-12(A). A first violation is punished by a written warning or a Class III offense; if the first was only a warning, a second violation within three years automatically becomes a Class III offense. Class III penalties under § 1-21(A)(3) run up to a $1,000 criminal fine or $1,500 civil penalty, and § 92-12(C) makes each day of continuing violation a separate offense.

Illegal Dumping

Yonkers Code § 91-38 bans dumping dirt, construction debris, household or commercial waste on any street, lot, park or public or private property unless authorized at that specific site under state law. Violators face a misdemeanor fine of $1,000 to $100,000, or up to $250,000 for repeat offenders or hazardous waste, plus up to a year in jail.

Key details: First-offense fine: $1,000 to $100,000. Repeat/hazardous waste fine: Up to $250,000. Jail exposure: Up to one year. Fill without permit: Bars fill over 15 cubic yards, no permit. Informant reward: Up to $1,000 per conviction, $25,000 felony.

Section 91-38(C) makes illegal dumping a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $100,000, rising to $250,000 for repeat offenders or hazardous waste, imprisonment of up to one year, or both. Nighttime dumping under § 94-10 is enforced separately as a Class II offense under § 94-13, carrying a fine of $100 to $5,000 or up to 15 days in jail.

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

Recycling Requirements

Every residential waste generator in Yonkers must source-separate recyclables, newsprint, cardboard, glass, metal, plastics, yard waste, batteries and motor oil from household trash at the point of generation, a duty in effect since September 1, 1992 under City Code § 92-4. Motor oil and batteries go to retailers or recyclers required to accept them.

Key details: Effective date: Source separation required since Sept. 1, 1992. Applies to: Every residential waste generator citywide. Materials covered: Paper, glass, metal, plastics, yard waste, batteries, oil. Exemption path: Apply to Westchester County, not the City. Scavenging ban: Taking others' set-out recyclables is unlawful.

Section 92-12(B) makes a first violation of Chapter 92 punishable by either a written warning or a Class III offense; if the first violation drew only a warning, a second violation within three years becomes a Class III offense outright. Each day of continued noncompliance is a separate violation under § 92-12(C), and the City may also sue in civil court under §§ 92-8 and 92-9 to compel compliance and recover any expense the violation caused.

Dumpster Rules

Yonkers charges commercial and multiple-dwelling property owners a monthly rental fee to use a City roll-off dumpster: $125 for a 20-cubic-yard container, $150 for 30 cubic yards, or $200 for 40 cubic yards, plus $100 per ton once collections exceed twice a week. Most businesses instead use a private licensed hauler under § 91-20.

Key details: 20-cubic-yard container: $125 per month rental. 30-cubic-yard container: $150 per month rental. 40-cubic-yard container: $200 per month rental. Roll-off service fee: $100 per ton over two weekly pickups. Commercial alternative: Licensed private hauler under § 91-20.

Chapter 91's Article V and VI penalties apply: the Commissioner of Public Works may suspend or revoke a licensed hauler's collection license after 10 days' written notice under § 91-13, and the Office of Municipal Code Violations may pursue an appearance ticket, administrative proceeding, or civil or criminal action under §§ 91-42 through 91-44, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Yard Waste Collection

Yonkers collects leaves, small branches, twigs and brush only on the Wednesday route, alongside newsprint and cardboard. Yard waste must go out loose in an open container or a brown paper bag, never a plastic bag.

Key details: Collection day: Wednesday only. Container: Open container or brown paper bag. Not allowed: Sealed plastic bags. Composting: Exempt from separation duty, § 92-4(E). Set-out deadline: 7:00 a.m. collection day.

Setting out yard waste in violation of the container rule or outside the Wednesday route is an unlawful act under § 92-12(A), the same general penalty provision covering the whole chapter. A first offense is a written warning or Class III offense; a repeat violation within three years automatically becomes a Class III offense, carrying a criminal fine up to $1,000 or civil penalty up to $1,500 under § 1-21(A)(3), with each day of a continuing violation charged separately per § 92-12(C).

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Yonkers caps household trash cans at two cubic feet and 50 pounds, requires tight covers at all times, and sets curb timing: containers go out no earlier than sundown the night before daytime collection, or noon of collection day for nighttime routes, and must come off the curb within eight hours after pickup.

Key details: Fill limit: Two cubic feet, 50 pounds per receptacle. Cover: Must be tightly covered at all times. Daytime set-out: Not before sundown the evening prior. Removal deadline: Within eight hours after collection. Penalty: Class III offense, fine up to $1,000.

Section 91-40 classifies a violation of § 91-17 as a Class III offense, punishable under § 1-21 by a criminal fine of up to $1,000 or a civil penalty of up to $1,500. The Office of Municipal Code Violations enforces Chapter 91 under §§ 91-42 through 91-44 and may issue an appearance ticket, bring an administrative proceeding, or pursue civil or criminal action; each day a violation continues is a separate offense.

Collection Schedule

Yonkers runs three weekly collection routes: Monday/Thursday, Tuesday/Friday, or Wednesday-only, each pairing trash pickup with a different recyclable stream under City Code § 92-5. Commingled recyclables go out with trash on the second weekday of each two-day route, while newsprint, cardboard and yard waste are collected together only on Wednesdays.

Key details: Route A: Mon trash only, Thu trash plus recyclables. Route B: Tue trash only, Fri trash plus recyclables. Wednesday route: Newsprint, cardboard and yard waste only. Curb deadline: All materials out by 7:00 a.m.. Schedule changes: Two weeks' published notice required first.

Failure to follow the § 92-5 schedule or set-out rules is enforced under Chapter 92's general penalty at § 92-12: a first violation draws either a written warning or a Class III offense, and a second violation within three years of a warning becomes a Class III offense outright, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate violation.

The Bottom Line

Yonkers's trash & recycling rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Yonkers is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Yonkers can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.