Trash & Recycling in Delaware (2026)
17 rules on the books across Delaware, 3 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Trash and recycling collection days, what time to put bins out, and rules about sorting materials for curbside pickup.
New Castle County
Some RestrictionsNew Castle County requires dwelling occupants to store rubbish, garbage and recycling in leakproof, covered containers…
Read full rule →Wilmington
Some RestrictionsThe city's public works department collects household ashes, rubbish, and yard waste every week on a set day by…
Read full rule →Bin Placement Rules
Where to position trash and recycling carts, when they may go to the curb and must come back, and the screening or enclosure rules for where bins live between pickups.
New Castle County
Some RestrictionsNew Castle County requires leakproof, covered containers for household rubbish, garbage and recycling, with the…
Read full rule →Sussex County
Some RestrictionsLarge-scale commercial development in Sussex County must set dumpsters and trash collection areas back 60 feet from the…
Read full rule →Wilmington
Some RestrictionsWilmington residents may set garbage containers at the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening before pickup and must…
Read full rule →Bulk Item Disposal
How to dispose of large items like furniture, appliances, and mattresses, including scheduled pickups and drop-off locations.
Recycling Requirements
Mandatory recycling rules including which materials must be separated, contamination penalties, and composting requirements.
Delaware: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsDelaware's Universal Recycling Law (7 Del. C. Sections 6051-6060) requires waste haulers to offer single-stream…
Read full rule →New Castle County
Some RestrictionsProperty Maintenance Code section 7.01.002 requires occupants to dispose of rubbish, garbage, and recycling in…
Read full rule →Illegal Dumping
Penalties and enforcement for dumping trash, debris, or hazardous materials on private or public property without authorization.
Sussex County
Heavy RestrictionsDumping solid waste anywhere Delaware or Sussex County regulations prohibit, or on any property without the owner's…
Read full rule →Wilmington
Significant RestrictionsDumping garbage, rubbish, refuse, or building material anywhere in Wilmington besides the city's sanitary landfill is…
Read full rule →New Castle County
Some RestrictionsNew Castle County bans dumping earth, rubbish or debris in any county park without written permission from the…
Read full rule →Yard Waste Collection
Rules for separating grass clippings, leaves, branches, and other yard waste from regular trash, including pickup days and bag/bin requirements.
Dumpster Rules
Permits and placement rules for residential or construction dumpsters, including how long they can stay and ROW obstruction limits.
Wilmington
Significant RestrictionsWilmington bars dumpsters from sitting in the public right-of-way except within a strict collection window, and…
Read full rule →New Castle County
Some RestrictionsNew Castle County limits residential dumpster placement to 30 days, requires a 3-foot setback from property lines, and…
Read full rule →Sussex County
Some RestrictionsSussex County requires anyone storing solid waste for collection or transfer, including dumpsters and roll-offs, to use…
Read full rule →Collection Schedule
Day-of-week pickup schedules by neighborhood, set-out and take-back time windows, and where to find your specific block's schedule.
Recycling Rules
Which items can and cannot go in residential single-stream recycling bins, contamination penalties, and rules for hazardous-waste drop-off.