Trash & Recycling in Colonie, NY (2026)
6 verified trash & recycling rules for Colonie, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
The Town of Colonie does not run residential garbage trucks. Town Code Chapter 112 (Solid Waste, Local Law 2-1992) requires haulers to obtain a Town Clerk hauler's license. Currently licensed residential haulers are Allied Waste / Republic Services (518-785-7030) and County Waste & Recycling (518-877-7007). Each hauler sets its own pickup day, frequency, container, and rate via direct contract with the resident. The Town operates the Colonie Landfill at 1319 Loudon Road (entrance 4 Arrowhead Lane) as the disposal endpoint - one of the few municipal landfills in NY.
Colonie Pickup Rules: Private Licensed Haulers Set Day and Frequency; Chapter 112 Town Clerk Licensing; Town Landfill 4 Arrowhead Lane
Some RestrictionsBin Placement Rules
The Town of Colonie does not set uniform bin-placement rules in the Town Code. Because Colonie uses licensed private haulers (Chapter 112) rather than Town-operated collection, bin placement (curb distance, set-out window, container type) is set by your individual hauler contract with Allied/Republic (518-785-7030) or County Waste (518-877-7007). Common hauler rules: place at the curb the night before or morning of pickup; do not block sidewalks. Building Dept (518-783-2706) enforces Chapter 62 Art IV blight for cans left out beyond pickup ($500/$750/$1,000 civil penalty).
Colonie Bin Placement: Set by Your Hauler Contract (No Uniform Town Rule); Building Dept Blight Backstop for Cans Left Out
Few RestrictionsBulk Item Disposal
The Town of Colonie does NOT provide curbside bulky-item collection for the unincorporated Town - the Environmental Services FAQ is explicit: residents must contact their hauler (Allied/Republic 518-785-7030 or County Waste 518-877-7007) for special pickup, OR self-haul to the Colonie Landfill at 1319 Loudon Road (entrance 4 Arrowhead Lane, Cohoes). Residents with a green vehicle sticker can drop yard waste free. The Town also has a small (6-8 cubic yard) roll-off container system for select wastes. The Village of Colonie runs separate heavy-trash pickup May through Fall.
Colonie Bulk Disposal: Town Does NOT Collect Bulky Items - Self-Haul to Landfill (4 Arrowhead Lane) or Hire Hauler; Small Roll-Off Available
Some RestrictionsRecycling Requirements
Town Code Chapter 112, Article III (Recycling) makes source separation MANDATORY: residents, businesses, and all generators of solid waste must separate recyclables before delivering to a solid waste facility or before pickup by a hauler. Licensed haulers MUST accept newspaper, corrugated cardboard, SPI #1-#7 plastic containers, metal containers, and glass containers. The Town also runs a free Residential Recyclables Drop-Off Station at the Environmental Services site. State authority: NY ECL §27-2105 (state recycling mandate) and ECL Article 27 generally.
Colonie Recycling: Mandatory Source Separation under Chapter 112 Art III; Haulers Must Accept #1-#7 Plastics, Cardboard, Newspaper, Metal, Glass
Heavy RestrictionsIllegal Dumping
Town Code Chapter 112, Article IA explicitly prohibits the use of land as a private dump, dumping ground, refuse disposal area, or landfill site, and prohibits depositing, burying, or disposing of offal, garbage, trash, refuse, rubbish, debris, and like waste on private land. The state backstop is NY ECL §27-0707 (DEC solid-waste facility permit requirement) with civil penalties under NY ECL §71-2723 up to $7,500 per violation per day. NY Penal Law §145.40 (Criminal Tampering 3rd) and §240.45 (litter offenses) provide criminal layers.
Colonie Illegal Dumping: Chapter 112 Prohibits Private Dumps; NY ECL §71-2723 Civil Penalty Up to $7,500/Day; NY Penal Law §145.40 Criminal Tampering
Heavy RestrictionsYard Waste Collection
Town of Colonie Environmental Services runs a Leaf and Yard Waste Brush Program available to Town residents, Village of Menands, and Village of Colonie. Yard waste must be in biodegradable paper bags ONLY - plastic bags (including orange pumpkin bags) are not collected. Bags must be under 40 lbs. Branches and brush up to 3 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length must be tied with string in manageable bundles. Christmas trees collected starting January 5, 2026 through the last Friday in February. Free self-haul to landfill with green resident sticker.
Colonie Yard Waste: Biodegradable Paper Bags ONLY (No Plastic), 40 lb Bag Limit, Brush Bundles 3-in Diameter / 4-ft Length, Christmas Trees Jan 5+
Some RestrictionsLooking for Albany County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Colonie city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Albany County →