Trash & Recycling in Dutchess County, NY (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated Dutchess County, New York.
Verified from official government sources
Bulk Item Disposal
Dutchess County bans dumping tires, yard waste and major household appliances like refrigerators, washers and stoves into any landfill or solid waste facility. These items must instead be separated out as recyclable material under the county's mandatory source-separation program, with fines starting at a warning and rising to $1,000.
Dutchess County Bulk Waste Landfill Ban
Some RestrictionsDutchess County Code § 256-21(G)
It shall be unlawful for any person to: ... G. Dispose of or place tires, yard waste or household appliances (white goods) in a landfill or other solid waste management-resource recovery facility.
Recycling Requirements
Dutchess County requires everyone to separate recyclable materials, paper, cardboard, glass, cans, plastics and aluminum, from solid waste before collection or drop-off, under a countywide program run by the Commissioner of Solid Waste Management.
Dutchess County Mandatory Curbside Recycling
Some RestrictionsDutchess County Code § 256-12
A program is hereby established for the mandatory source separation of recyclable materials within the County. All persons shall separate recyclable materials from solid waste before either setting out solid waste for collection pursuant lawful procedure or disposing of it at an authorized solid waste management-resource recovery facility.
Illegal Dumping
Dutchess County bans disposing solid waste anywhere except a facility the Commissioner of Solid Waste Management has designated. Violators face up to a $500 fine, 15 days in jail, or both, and can lose hauling privileges, with each dumping act a separate offense.
Dutchess County Illegal Dumping Penalties
Significant RestrictionsDutchess County Code § 256-6
Any person who violates this article shall be guilty of an offense and subject to a fine of not more than $500 and/or imprisonment for not more than 15 days and/or suspension or revocation of collecting, receiving, transporting and/or disposing privileges in conjunction with solid waste within the County of Dutchess. Each and every act of disposal committed which is prohibited by § 256-4 hereof...
Yard Waste Collection
Dutchess County requires yard waste to be kept out of the regular trash stream countywide, with disposal handled through municipal sites or private composting instead of the landfill.
Dutchess County Yard Waste Rules
Some RestrictionsDutchess County Code § 256-20
All yard waste shall be separated from solid waste. It shall be unlawful to place such material in a solid waste management-resource recovery facility. B. Each city, town and/or village within the County may provide, or obtain rights in, a site for the disposal of residential yard waste. C. Yard waste may be composted at a site or sites designated by the municipality or at a facility as m...
Dumpster Rules
Dutchess County requires every collection container, bin, and dumpster used by a licensed hauler to be clearly labeled by material type and kept easily accessible to residents, employees, and haulers under the county's solid waste licensing rules.
Dutchess County Commercial Dumpster Labeling Rules
Some RestrictionsDutchess County Code § 256-37
All recyclables collection containers, bins, and dumpsters shall be clearly labeled as to the type of material the container, bin, or dumpster accepts. ... All collection containers, bins, or dumpsters shall be easily accessible to residents, employees and haulers.
All Dutchess County ordinances
See every category we cover for Dutchess County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Dutchess County Ordinance Hub →