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Bergenfield, NJ Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

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

Key Facts

Earliest set-out
6:00 p.m. night before collection
Schedule set by
DPW Superintendent designates areas/times
Barrel size
96 gallons per 3 bedrooms
Barrel requirement
Must carry Borough seal
Enforcement
DPW, Board of Health, Health Officer

Summary

Bergenfield residents cannot put garbage, recyclables or bulk refuse at the curb before 6:00 p.m. the night before their scheduled collection day. The Department of Public Works Superintendent sets which areas get which collection day and time, with the Board of Health and Health Officer sharing enforcement.

§ 344-55. Time of placement and removal. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, or cause to be placed, or permit to remain at the curb, any receptacle, plastic bag or bundle containing bulk refuse, garbage or recyclables earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the night prior to collection for that premise's regular collection day as established by the Department of Public Works. ... § 344-56. Administration. A. The administration and enforcement of this article shall be the responsibility of the Department of Public Works Superintendent or Designee and the Board of Health, the Health Officer and his agents. ... B. The Superintendent of Public Works and Sanitation shall designate the areas and times of collection of refuse.

Full Breakdown

on the night before that premises' regular collection day. The actual collection day and time for a given block is not fixed in the ordinance itself; Section 344-56B assigns that job to the Superintendent of Public Works and Sanitation, who designates the areas and times of collection. Administration of the whole collection scheme, not just the timing rule, is split among several Borough offices under Section 344-56A: the Department of Public Works Superintendent or a designee, together with the Board of Health, the Health Officer and his agents, are responsible for administering and enforcing Article VIII, and they may call on the Police Department, Fire Department, and Public Works and Sanitation Department personnel to help carry that out.

The barrel program layered on top of this schedule, added in 2016 by Ordinance No. 16-2495, gives each residential property one 96-gallon barrel or larger for every three bedrooms, with multifamily properties receiving barrels the same way, and every barrel must carry the Borough seal or Public Works will not pick it up. cutoff, regardless of which day the Superintendent has assigned, is itself the violation the ordinance targets.

Violations & Fines

Placing refuse, recyclables or bulk items at the curb before 6:00 p.m. the night before the assigned collection day violates Section 344-55 and draws the Sanitary Code's general penalty under Section 344-4: $50 to $1,000 per offense, up to 90 days in jail, or both, enforced by the Public Works Superintendent, Board of Health and Health Officer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time can I put my trash cans out the night before collection?
Not before 6:00 p.m. Section 344-55 makes it unlawful to place or leave any receptacle, bag or bundle of bulk refuse, garbage or recyclables at the curb earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the night before that property's regular collection day.
Who decides which day my street gets trash pickup?
The Superintendent of Public Works and Sanitation. Section 344-56B gives that office the authority to designate the areas and times of collection, so collection days are set administratively rather than listed in the ordinance itself.
How many trash barrels is my house entitled to from the Borough?
One 96-gallon barrel or larger for every three bedrooms in the structure, under Section 344-56.1, based on the bedroom count on the property's tax card. Multifamily properties receive barrels the same way under Section 344-56.2.
Will Public Works collect a barrel that doesn't have the Borough seal?
No. Section 344-56.7 states only barrels bearing the Borough seal will be picked up by the Department of Public Works, so a resident using an unofficial container risks having it left uncollected.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Bergenfield

All Bergenfield rules

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