Trash & Recycling in Rockland County, NY (2026)
9 rules for unincorporated Rockland County, New York.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Waste haulers operating in Rockland County must hold a Department of Health permit before collecting anything at curbside. County Code § 350-12 bars unpermitted pickup, requires delivery only to designated facilities, and bans mixing waste streams during collection.
Rockland County Hauler Pickup Requirements
Significant RestrictionsRockland County Code § 350-12
It shall be a violation of this chapter for any hauler without a valid permit issued by the Department of Health pursuant to Article III of the Rockland County Sanitary Code, to commercially collect, pick up, remove or transport or cause to be collected, picked up, removed or transported any yard waste, solid waste, construction and demolition debris, scrap metals, and/or recyclables placed at ...
Bin Placement Rules
County Code § 350-6 tells every household how to set out solid waste for pickup: it must go into a dumpster container, compactor or other suitable container placed at curbside or another designated area, separated from recyclables, scrap metals and yard waste.
Rockland County Curbside Set-Out Rules
Some RestrictionsRockland County Code § 350-6
In order to provide for public health and safety, each person shall provide for the separation of solid waste from all other types of waste and shall provide for the placement of such solid waste into a dumpster container, compactor, or other suitable container at curbside or other designated area for collection by a hauler. ... It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to place at...
Bulk Item Disposal
Rockland County treats bulky items like furniture, mattresses and small appliances as part of the regular solid waste stream, not a separate large-item pickup. Under County Code § 350-2, "bulk items" are large household goods too big for a trash can; § 350-6 requires households to place all solid waste, bulk items included, into a suitable curbside container for hauler collection.
Rockland County Bulk Item Disposal Rules
Some RestrictionsRockland County Code § 350-2
Items that may be too large to fit into standard household trash cans or are typically not collected as part of weekly trash collections, such as small household appliances and housewares; painted, laminated and treated wood, including lumber under four feet in length and under 25 pounds, and plywood; furniture (wooden and upholstered); mattresses; textiles; bulky plastics; packing materials; i...
Recycling Requirements
Rockland County Code § 330-3 requires every person in control of a premises to separate curbside recyclables, newspaper, high-grade paper, corrugated paperboard, glass, plastic and metal containers, from other solid waste. Adopted in 1990 under L.L. No. 6-1990, the mandate runs countywide while each Town and Village keeps collection duties and violators face graduated fines under § 330-6.
Rockland County Mandatory Recycling Law
Some RestrictionsRockland County Code § 330-3
§ 330-3. Mandatory countywide recycling. ... In order to provide for public health and safety and to facilitate the conservation of vital natural resources, each Town and Village shall continue to be responsible for the collection of solid waste and recyclable material. ... Commencing on a schedule of dates and in a manner, both of which to be determined pursuant to rules and regulations promul...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping solid waste, recyclables or yard waste on someone else's property, along a roadside, or in a commercial dumpster you do not own is a violation of County Code § 350-14, punishable by a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per offense under § 350-15.
Rockland County Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsRockland County Code § 350-14
It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to throw, dump, deposit or place solid waste, recyclables, construction and demolition debris, scrap metals, and/or yard waste along the roadside or on public and/or private property within the County without the express consent of the owner of such property.
Yard Waste Collection
County Code § 350-8 requires residents to keep yard waste, grass clippings, leaves and brush, separate from other trash and bag it in biodegradable leaf bags for curbside pickup, unless their town or village directs otherwise.
Rockland County Yard Waste Set-Out Rules
Some RestrictionsRockland County Code § 350-8
In order to provide for public health and safety, each person creating his or her own yard waste shall provide for the separation of yard waste from all other types of waste and shall provide for the placement of such yard waste into biodegradable leaf bags at curbside for collection by a hauler, or as directed by the municipality where the person resides or has a place of business.
Dumpster Rules
Businesses and industrial sites in Rockland County must separate their solid waste and place it into a dumpster container, compactor or other suitable container at curbside or another designated area under County Code § 350-10, then have it hauled to a county-designated facility.
Rockland County Commercial Dumpster Rules
Some RestrictionsRockland County Code § 350-10
In order to provide for public health and safety, each commercial or industrial entity that generates solid waste shall provide for the separation of such waste from all other types of waste and shall cause the placement of such solid waste into a dumpster container, compactor, or other suitable container and the placement of such container at curbside or other designated area for collection by...
Collection Schedule
Rockland County requires every household and business to arrange regular removal of its solid waste, yard waste, scrap metals and recyclables under County Code § 350-5. Service can come from a municipal contract, a licensed hauler, or the generator hauling the material directly to the Solid Waste Management Authority's designated facility.
Rockland County Mandatory Waste Collection
Some RestrictionsRockland County Code § 350-5
In order to provide for public health and safety and to facilitate the conservation of vital resources, each person shall provide for the removal of yard waste, solid waste, construction and demolition debris, scrap metals and designated recyclables from the property on which they are generated either through a service provided by a municipality or hauler or by direct haul by such person to the...
Recycling Rules
Rockland County Code §§ 330-11 and 330-12 require stores that hand out plastic carryout bags to run an at-store take-back program: a visible collection bin near the entrance for the public to return clean plastic bags, plus reusable bags for sale at stores 20,000 square feet or larger. The 2008 Plastic Bag Recycling Act covers big-box stores and chains of five or more locations alike.
Rockland County At-Store Bag Recycling Rule
Some RestrictionsRockland County Code §§ 330-11, 330-12
§ 330-11. At-store recycling program. The operator of a store shall establish an at-store recycling program pursuant to the provisions of this article that provides an opportunity for members of the public to return to the store clean plastic carryout bags from any source. ... § 330-12. Program requirements. An at-store recycling program provided by the operator of a store shall require: A. A p...
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