Trash & Recycling in Tonawanda, NY (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Tonawanda, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
In the Town of Tonawanda, Section 181-8 makes it unlawful for anyone without authorization to remove a tote's lid or to collect, molest or scatter waste or recyclables once they are set out for collection. Section 181-11 goes further for recyclables, making them Town property the moment they are lawfully placed at the curb.
Tonawanda Rules Against Scavenging Set-Out Trash
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code §§ 181-8, 181-11
§ 181-8. Interference with waste material set out for collection. ... It shall be unlawful for any person not authorized to do so to remove the lid from any tote or to collect, molest or scatter any waste material, garbage, nonrecyclable rubbish and refuse and/or recyclable material set out for collection. ... Commencing immediately with the time any person lawfully places any recyclable materi...
Bin Placement Rules
In the Town of Tonawanda, Section 181-4A requires garbage and recycling totes to stay behind the front building line until collection day and bars owners from letting a tote overflow. Section 181-5B limits how early a resident may set a tote at the curb: never more than 24 hours before the scheduled collection time.
Tonawanda Tote Placement and Storage Rules
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code §§ 181-4A(3), 181-4A(6), 181-5B
(3) The owner/occupant of the property is not permitted to allow the tote to overflow. No garbage or nonrecyclable waste material, refuse or rubbish nor recyclable material shall be placed on top or outside of the tote. ... (6) Prior to being placed in the right-of-way for collection, all totes shall be stored behind the front building line of any street unless specifically authorized by the Su...
Bulk Item Disposal
In the Town of Tonawanda, owners may set major appliances and large household furnishings like sofas, beds and refrigerators out on their regular scheduled waste collection day under Town Code § 181-4G. Before a refrigerator or freezer reaches the curb, its door or door-latching mechanism must be removed so the appliance cannot trap anyone inside. The Superintendent of Highways administers the pickup program.
Tonawanda Bulk Item Curbside Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code § 181-4G
G. Major appliances; large household furnishings. (1) Major appliances or large household furnishings may be placed for collection on the scheduled waste collection day. (2) It shall be unlawful for any person to discard or place any refrigerator or freezer in a public right-of-way for collection unless the door or doors of the same or the latching or locking mechanism on the door or doors of t...
Recycling Requirements
The Town of Tonawanda operates a mandatory recycling program under Chapter 181 of the Town Code, supervised by the Superintendent of Highways and approved by the Town Board through the Town of Tonawanda Recycling Regulations. Every property owner using a private hauler must separate recyclable material from garbage before a private contractor collects it.
Tonawanda Mandatory Recycling Program
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code §§ 181-3, 181-7A
§ 181-3. Establishment of program. There is hereby established a program for separation, preparation for collection and collection of waste material generated in the Town of Tonawanda. The program shall be under the supervision of the Superintendent of Highways, who shall make rules and regulations for its implementation, subject to the approval of the Town Board. Such rules and regulations sha...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping waste in a Town of Tonawanda street, road, alley or right-of-way outside the Village of Kenmore is a violation under Code § 181-15 unless it is contained and set out within 24 hours of the scheduled collection time. The Code Enforcement Officer and Superintendent of Highways enforce the ban, and fines climb from a written warning to $250 for repeat offenders under § 181-22.
Tonawanda Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code §§ 181-15, 181-22A
Any person who shall deposit or leave or cause any other person to deposit or leave in any public right-of-way, road, street, highway or alley in the Town of Tonawanda, outside the corporate limits of the Village of Kenmore, any waste, unless contained and prepared as specified in this chapter and within 24 hours prior to the designated collection time, shall be in violation of this chapter and...
Yard Waste Collection
In the Town of Tonawanda, yard waste such as grass, leaves, brush and garden clippings goes out for collection at the times and in the manner set by the Superintendent of Highways' recycling regulations under Section 181-4C. Contractors who generate brush or tree parts must haul it away themselves and may leave it curbside for no more than 24 hours after finishing the job.
Tonawanda Yard Waste and Brush Collection
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code §§ 181-2, 181-4C-E, 181-10A
YARD WASTE Grass, leaves, brush, plants or dirt material from vegetable and flower gardens, lawns and yards or ash from fireplaces or wood stoves. ... ... C. Yard waste shall be placed for collection at the times and in the manner prescribed by the recycling regulations. D. Brush and tree parts which result from work performed by the owner or occupant of a residence may be placed for collection...
Dumpster Rules
In the Town of Tonawanda, Section 181-9 requires written permission from the Superintendent of Highways before any dumpster goes in the public right-of-way, bans blocking traffic, and requires a workable lid plus reflectors or reflective tape. Owners must display their name, address and phone number on the dumpster, and no one may empty or remove one before 7:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
Tonawanda Commercial Dumpster Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code § 181-9
§ 181-9. Dumpster regulations. A. No dumpster shall be placed or located within any public right-of-way within the Town of Tonawanda by any person unless such person first obtains written permission from the Superintendent of Highways. B. A dumpster shall be located in such a manner that it does not obstruct or interfere with the passage of vehicular or pedestrian traffic. C. A dumpster must be...
Collection Schedule
In the Town of Tonawanda, the Superintendent of Highways sets the collection days and times for garbage pickup under Section 181-5, and only properties paying a garbage district tax may use Town service. Section 181-5A requires waste to be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on the designated day; the Town will not collect anything set out after that.
Tonawanda Trash Collection Day and Time Rules
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code §§ 181-5, 181-5A
§ 181-5. Collection of waste material. The Superintendent of Highways shall designate the days and times for the removal of all waste material from the public rights-of-way, public roads, streets, highways and alleys in the Town of Tonawanda, outside the corporate limits of the Village of Kenmore. On such designated days, it shall be lawful for any person to place within the public right-of-way...
Recycling Rules
In the Town of Tonawanda, Section 181-4B of the Town Code spells out exactly how recyclables go into the Town-supplied tote: newspaper in paper bags, cardboard boxes flattened, and cans, glass and plastic containers rinsed clean with caps and rims removed. Only recyclable material may go in a recycling tote.
Tonawanda Recyclable Material Prep Rules
Some RestrictionsTown of Tonawanda Code §§ 181-2, 181-4B
RECYCLABLE MATERIAL All material specified by the Town of Tonawanda for collection pursuant to this chapter and/or recycling regulations promulgated hereunder, including but not limited to cans, glass containers, newspaper and plastic. ... ... B. Recyclable material shall be placed in recycling totes provided by the Town of Tonawanda as follows: ... (1) Newspaper shall be placed in paper bags s...
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