Trash & Recycling in Lakewood, NJ (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Lakewood, New Jersey, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Lakewood Township, Ocean County, requires trash in Township-supplied 95 or 65 gallon containers, drained of fluids and bagged. Mixing carcasses, manure or hazardous waste into household trash, or touching a neighbor's set-out cans, is against the code.
Lakewood Township, NJ Trash Pickup Container Rules
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 21-3(k)
It shall be unlawful for any person, excepting an employee of the Township in the discharge of his duties, or an authorized garbage and waste collector, to collect, pick up, rake or in any way disturb the garbage or other refuse material of whatsoever nature deposited in any receptacle laid or placed on any street or public place.
Bin Placement Rules
Lakewood Township tells residents exactly where and when their township-supplied garbage and recycling carts can sit at the curb: roughly four feet from obstructions, out no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before pickup, and back off the curb the same day the truck comes.
Lakewood NJ Garbage Cart Curb Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 21-3
All municipal solid waste (hereinafter referred to as "MSW") to be collected by the Township shall be placed at the curbline in receptacles as above described. They shall be set at the curbline approximately four feet from any obstruction (trees, mailboxes, telephone poles, guy wires, another container, etc.). No cars shall be parked in front of containers. Such MSW shall be collected once week...
Bulk Item Disposal
Lakewood Township, Ocean County, lets residents curb bulk items no earlier than the weekend before their scheduled pickup, but bans any construction or demolition debris from that program entirely.
Lakewood Township, NJ Bulk Item Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 21-3(n)
Items scheduled for bulk pickup may not be placed at curbside for pickup earlier than the Saturday or Sunday before the scheduled pickup. Bulk items shall be neatly set at curbside. All items scheduled for bulk pickup must be generated by or from the residences at which the bulk pickup is located. No construction or demolition materials will be picked up.
Recycling Requirements
Lakewood Township, Ocean County, makes source-separated recycling mandatory for every residential, commercial, institutional and government property. Multifamily owners must set up the system and notify tenants every six months.
Lakewood Township, NJ Mandatory Recycling Program
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 21-5.1(a)
Mandatory Source Separation. It shall be mandatory for all persons who are owners, tenants, or occupants of residential and nonresidential premises, which shall include but not be limited to retail and other commercial locations, as well as government, schools and other institutional locations within the Township of Lakewood, to separate designated recyclable materials from all solid waste.
Illegal Dumping
Lakewood Township bans spilling, dumping or disposing of anything but stormwater into its municipal storm sewer system under Code § 32-1.3. The Code Enforcement Officer and Police Department enforce the rule, and anyone who keeps violating it after notice faces a fine up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in the county jail.
Lakewood Ban on Dumping Into Storm Drains
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 32-1.3
a. The spilling, dumping, or disposal of materials other than stormwater to the municipal separate storm sewer system operated by the Township of Lakewood is prohibited. b. The spilling, dumping, or disposal of materials other than stormwater in such a manner as to cause the discharge of pollutants to the municipal separate storm sewer system is also prohibited. c. Pumping sub-surface water fro...
Yard Waste Collection
Lakewood Township, Ocean County, only allows loose leaves, grass and brush at the curb during the seven days before a scheduled pickup, and never within 10 feet of a storm drain. First offense costs up to $100.
Lakewood Township, NJ Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 21-6.3
Sweeping, raking, blowing or otherwise placing yard waste that is not containerized at the curb or along the street is only allowed during the seven days prior to a scheduled and announced collection, and shall not be placed closer than 10 feet from any storm drain inlet. Placement of such yard waste at the curb or along the street at any other time or in any other manner is a violation of this...
Dumpster Rules
Lakewood Township requires every outdoor dumpster and refuse container to stay covered at all times under Code § 32-4.3, so nothing spills, overflows or leaks into the storm sewer system. Violators face a fine up to $500 per offense plus court costs under § 32-4.6.
Lakewood Dumpster Covering Requirement
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 32-4.3
Any person who controls, whether owned, leased, or operated, a refuse container or dumpster must ensure that such container or dumpster is covered at all times and shall prevent refuse from spilling out or overflowing. Any person who owns, leases or otherwise uses a refuse container or dumpster must ensure that such container or dumpster does not leak or otherwise discharge liquids, semi-liquid...
Collection Schedule
Lakewood Township, Ocean County, collects municipal solid waste once a week townshipwide, with a special downtown daily pickup window. Residential cans cannot hit the curb before 6:00 p.m. the night before pickup.
Lakewood Township, NJ Trash Collection Schedule
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 21-3(b)
All municipal solid waste (hereinafter referred to as "MSW") to be collected by the Township shall be placed at the curbline in receptacles as above described. They shall be set at the curbline approximately four feet from any obstruction (trees, mailboxes, telephone poles, guy wires, another container, etc.). No cars shall be parked in front of containers. Such MSW shall be collected once week...
Recycling Rules
Lakewood Township, Ocean County, requires recycling bins at the curb between 5:00 p.m. the day before pickup and 6:00 a.m. on pickup day, then off the curb by 7:00 p.m. Collectors cannot legally take recyclables mixed into regular trash.
Lakewood Township, NJ Recycling Set-Out Rules
Some RestrictionsTownship of Lakewood Code § 21-5.8(a)
It shall be unlawful for solid waste collectors to collect solid waste that is mixed with, or contains visible signs of designated recyclable materials. It is also unlawful for solid waste collectors to remove for disposal those bags or containers of solid waste which visibly display a warning notice sticker or some other device indicating that the load of solid waste contains designated recycl...