Union County, NJ Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Bin placement in Union County is regulated by each municipality's solid waste and property maintenance ordinances. Elizabeth Revised Ordinances Chapter 8.20 requires trash and recycling containers placed at the curbside only on collection day and retrieved within 24 hours; between pickups, bins must be stored in rear yards or behind fences out of public view from the street in R-1 and R-2 residential zones. Westfield Code §11-15 requires bins stored within 20 feet of the principal structure and screened from street view. Summit Chapter 185 requires side-yard or rear-yard storage with opaque screening. Cranford and Scotch Plains have similar screening requirements. Plainfield Code §6:20 permits curbside placement no earlier than 6 PM the day before collection. Downtown Elizabeth, Plainfield, Rahway, Westfield, Cranford, and Summit commercial districts use rear-yard or alley dumpster placement per redevelopment plans. NJ Uniform Construction Code dumpster placement during construction (over 14 days) requires a separate Encroachment Permit in most Union County municipalities. Properties adjacent to Union County Parks (Watchung Reservation, Echo Lake Park, Lenape Park, Warinanco) face additional screening requirements to prevent visual impact on park users.