Lakewood, NJ Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Curb spacing
- about 4 feet from obstructions
- Earliest set-out
- 6:00 p.m. night before pickup
- Removal deadline
- same day as collection
- Storage location
- behind front yard setback line
- Collection frequency
- once weekly, Township-scheduled
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine / 90 days
Summary
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.
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 weekly on a day scheduled by the Township. ... In all residential zones, MSW contained in acceptable receptacles as described in paragraphs a and b hereinabove shall not be placed in the curb area for pickup before 6:00 p.m. of the day prior to the regular scheduled day for pickup by the Township. ... In all residential zones, all empty garbage cans and other receptacles, including those receptacles utilized for the containment of recyclables, shall be removed from the sidewalk area near the curb on the same day as collected. In addition to the above, at all single family homes, all empty garbage cans and other receptacles, including those receptacles utilized for the containment of recyclables, shall be placed back on the property at least behind the front yard setback.
Full Breakdown
Township of Lakewood Code § 21-3 governs how municipal solid waste (MSW) is set out for collection. Subsection b requires MSW to be placed at the curbline in the Township-supplied 95- or 65-gallon container, set approximately four feet from any obstruction such as a tree, mailbox, utility pole, guy wire or another container, and requires that no cars be parked in front of the containers; collection runs once weekly on a Township-scheduled day. of the day prior to the scheduled pickup. Subsection j requires that, in all residential zones, empty cans and recycling receptacles be pulled back from the curb the same day they are emptied, and at single-family homes those empty receptacles must be stored back on the property at least behind the front yard setback line, not left at the curb or in front-yard view.
the evening of collection. The Department of Public Works and the Township's Recycling Coordinator administer these placement and timing rules alongside the Code Enforcement Official.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 21 does not set a stand-alone fine for § 21-3 curb-placement violations, so the Township Code's general penalty at § 1-5.1 applies: a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to 90 days, or a period of community service up to 90 days for each violation. Receptacles that are badly broken or otherwise fail to meet § 21-3's requirements may also be classified and collected as rubbish rather than serviced.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my garbage cart out in Lakewood Township?
Where do I have to store my empty cans between collections?
How far from my mailbox does my cart need to sit at the curb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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Bin Placement Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle bin placement rules.