Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Rockland County, NY Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Curbside defined
Within 5 ft of public street
Container required
Dumpster, compactor, or suitable container
No mixing streams
Solid waste separate from recyclables/metals/yard waste
Governing section
§ 350-6
Max penalty
$1,000 per violation

Summary

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.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Rockland County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

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 curbside or other designated area for collection any can, container or dumpster container that has scrap metals, recyclables or yard waste mixed with solid waste.

Full Breakdown

Section 350-6A requires that each person provide for the separation of solid waste from all other types of waste and place it into a dumpster container, compactor, or other suitable container at curbside or another designated area for collection by a hauler. The Code defines "curbside" in § 350-2 as the area within five feet of the public street. Mixing streams is specifically barred: § 350-6C makes it a violation to place at curbside any can, container or dumpster container that has scrap metals, recyclables or yard waste mixed with solid waste, and § 350-6D requires yard waste to go separately into biodegradable leaf bags, or however the resident's town or village directs, while § 350-6E requires scrap metals to be set out separately and delivered to the designated facility.

Section 350-6B adds that everything placed at curbside must actually be delivered to the county's designated facility, tying set-out compliance to the flow-control system created in § 350-1. Because the county leaves timing and container-size specifics to the town, village or hauler serving each address, § 350-6 functions as the baseline separation-and-container rule that every municipality's own pickup schedule sits on top of.

Violations & Fines

Setting out a container with recyclables, scrap metals or yard waste mixed into solid waste violates § 350-6C. The Commissioner of the Department of Health enforces Chapter 350 under § 350-4A and § 350-15, and can impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense under § 350-15B(4).

Frequently Asked Questions

What container must I use for trash at the curb in Rockland County?
Section 350-6A requires a dumpster container, compactor, or other suitable container placed at curbside, which the Code defines as within five feet of the public street, or at another area your hauler designates for pickup.
Can I put scrap metal in with my regular trash?
No. Section 350-6E requires scrap metals to be placed separately at curbside, and § 350-6C makes it a violation to mix scrap metals, recyclables, or yard waste into a solid-waste container.
Who decides which day my bin goes to the curb?
Chapter 350 sets the container and separation rules but leaves collection days to the town, village or hauler serving your address, since Rockland's five towns and their villages administer the day-to-day service.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Rockland County

All Rockland County rules

New York rules heatmap·Compare Rockland County to another location·View the New York trash & recycling overview

Get notified when Bin Placement Rules in Rockland County, NY changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.